Sister Wendy's Book of Saints [Hardcover]

Wendy Beckett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1998

Renowned art historian and television personality, Sister Wendy documents the lives and works of over 40 of the world's best--loved saints with her unique blend of humor and spiritual insight. Her reflections bring to life illuminated manuscripts, miniatures, and icons, dating back to the seventh century. The works depict people of great spirituality from the humble humanity of St. Anthony the Hermit to the courageous dignity of St. Agatha and the virgin martyrs. Sister Wendy's eloquent text discusses the art, while also chronicling the lives and ordeals of each saint, their feast days, iconographic emblems and the subjects of their patronage.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-Sister Wendy presents illuminated images and histories of 35 saints selected from the artwork of the Italian State Libraries and describes their attributes and personalities based on traditional information. The artwork depicts each saint in a dignified role, minimizing any overly obvious examples of personal suffering. The author expounds upon the religious virtues and deep Christian beliefs of the saints, allowing her strong spiritual views to pervade the text. The art is outstanding both in selection and in the color reproductions. A "Calendar of Feast Days" lists saints for almost every day of the year. Picture credits are included. This visually appealing and informative title is an outstanding enhancement to religious collections.
Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Widely known since 1991 for her BBC/PBS specials on great world art, 67-year-old Sr. Wendy, an Oxford-educated sister of Notre Dame, lives a solitary, contemplative life in a trailer on the grounds of a Carmelite monastery in East Anglia and has published more than 15 books. "Delightful" describes both the author and her newest book, which offers her unique way of "seeing" saints. Rarely viewed miniatures and illuminations, drawn from Italian library manuscripts that will be on view in 1998-99, depict 35 selected saints, from St. Peter to St. Catherine of Sienna. Most have two pages each, with one or more well-done reproductions in color and Sr. Wendy's commentary on each, which flows from her own joyful vision of truth. The reader feels guided by a wise friend reintroducing other old friends and their legends. Her unique contemporary spin, often expressed in the present tense, includes deceptively simple minilessons. A born storyteller, Sr. Wendy intelligently introduces such issues as separation of church and state and the status of women. She speaks to everyone, removing art from the province of the eclectic and offering an enriching experience. Recommended for circulating collections in most libraries.AAnna M. Donnelly, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (March 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789423987
• ISBN-13: 978-0789423986
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,554,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GOD BLESS SISTER WENDY!, January 7, 2001

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sister Wendy's Book of Saints (Hardcover)

Sister Wendy Beckett is a gifted story teller and artist. Her delightful paintings and her wonderfully original expressions bring Catholicism to all readers. This delightful book is truly one of a kind. Sister Wendy shares her love for painting and her gift for this medium in this work. Her loving recounting of the accounts of saints' lives will touch, amuse and delight all who are fortunate enough to encounter this wonderful book.

Sister Wendy shows a light touch, a gentle approach to imparting her faith journey and the information she has gathered over the years. The bright colors emphasize the light, bright, upbeat tone of this wonderful book. I can't recommend it highly enough. This is truly a keeper.

God bless Sister Wendy!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great, but I wanted so much more!, November 1, 2002

By 

Czinczar (Southeast Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sister Wendy's Book of Saints (Hardcover)

A beautifully constucted book for as far as it goes, but we Sister Wendy lovers are left wanting more! If anything, it seems too small in scale. Like a delicious meal that we're only allowed to take a couple bites of. This is actually a great thumbnail introduction to saints for all us non-Catholics. The usual great paintings with Sister Wendy's wonderful, insightful commentaries. But we wish for bigger visual and literary feast. Everything about the book is small scale. Some of the illustrations should have been blown up to a larger size. We wish Sister Wendy would have gone on longer in her commentaries. At 93 pages, we wish for at least 100 more. She shouldn't have limited her selections to paintings from just one Italian exhibition. For all its brevity, I highly recommend the book. Lasty, don't pass up any chance to snag a copy of the video version of this book which aired on PBS.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, December 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Sister Wendy's Book of Saints (Hardcover)

If the rating had 10 stars, i would have given it 10. Sister wendy provides lucid and clear pictures and text, good book for all ages