The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life [Hardcover]

Joan Chittister (Author), John August Swanson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2000

The biblical story of Ruth is a woman's story about a woman's life. Though written thousands of years ago, it is nonetheless perennial. It calls us to reflect in every generation on what it means to be a whole woman, a spiritual woman. In THE STORY OF RUTH Joan Chittister and John August Swanson reclaim this powerful biblical story as a model for contemporary women seeking a fully spiritual life.

Through complementary texts and illustrations, Chittister and Swanson explore a series of twelve defining moments in every woman's life--moments of loss, change, transformation, aging, independence, respect, recognition, insight, empowerment, self-definition, invisibility, and fulfillment. Each chapter and each piece of artwork together illuminate the faithful life of Ruth in relation to these formative moments and lend insights into what it means to be a woman of God today.

A lovely combination of art and text, THE STORY OF RUTH provides valuable help for women seeking wholeness in a world still struggling with issues of faith and gender.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joan Chittister is executive director of Benetvision: A Resource and Research Center for Contemporary Spirituality, Erie, Pennsylvania. She is also a contributor to The Huffington Post blog. Her many books include God's Tender Mercy, The Story of Ruth (with John August Swanson), and Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope. For more information, visit her website at www.joanchittister.org.

Los Angeles artist John August Swanson is noted for his finely detailed, brilliantly colored Biblical pieces. His unique style is influenced by the imagery of Islamic and medieval miniatures, Russian iconography, the color of Latin American folk art, and the tradition of Mexican muralists.

Mr. Swanson's art is represented in the permanent collections of many museums, including three museums of the Smithsonian Institutions: The National Museum of American History, The National Museum of American Art and The National Air and Space Museum. He is also included in the print collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, Harvard University's Fogg Museum, the Tate Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Biblioth�que Nationale in Paris. His painting "The Procession" is one of relatively few works by contemporary artists to be selected for the Vatican Museums' Collection of Modern Religious Art. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 92 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802847420
• ISBN-13: 978-0802847423
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joan Chittister, OSB (1936- ) is a Benedictine Sister of Erie, PA. She is the author of over 40 books--ten of which have won Catholic Press Association Awards (the latest 2011: God's Tender Mercy). Her book, The Monastery of the Heart: an invitation to a meaningful life, is prelude to a movement for all seekers: Monasteries of the Heart, recently begun by her Benedictine community. Sister Joan is an international speaker who inspires both her audiences and readers with her passion for justice, for equality and for peace, especially for women in both society and the church. Her PhD is from Penn State University in Speech-Communication Theory. She serves as Executive Director of Benetvision, a research and resource center for contemporary spirituality.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Story of Ruth-----A Beautiful Gift, December 9, 2000

By 

Erin H. Strauss (San Antonio, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life (Hardcover)

Every mother should gift her daughter with this beautiful book! Joan Chittister unfolds beautifully and clearly what every mother wishes her daughters to know in order to become the full persons they were created to be. Each example from the Story of Ruth powerfully illustrates "delineating moments in every human life...... points after which we are never the same again". In The Story of Ruth, Joan Chittister shows us the qualities of Naomi and Ruth as they face life and make choices.... but more than that, Chittister confirms, refreshes and energizes the "stuff" that all women hold within themselves. This is an en-courgaging book for all women...mothers daughters, grandmothers.....women....single or married..... and it is also a book for MEN! For within these pages there is the depth of thought and experience lived by "the other half of humanity." Men will find the richness of this insight invaluable....an enhancement to their own perspective and attitude toward creation.

Once again, thank you, Joan Chittister, for this beautiful gift of strength.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Motivation for coping with the daily grind of life, May 18, 2005

By 

Glutton for books (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life (Hardcover)

I read "The Story of Ruth" about a year after I read "Scarred by Struggle," which is also by Dr.Chittister. Both books offer inspriation for dealing with difficulties based on a biblical story. The difference between the type of advice they offer, is that "The Story of Ruth," contends more with the daily struggles that confront us in our lives, whereas "Scarred by Struggle" offers advice more suitable to a particular setback, such as an end of a relationship, or loss of job.

Dr. Chittister makes an interesting comment about the story of Ruth, in that though there is no blatant theophany in this book, one can not doubt that God is somehow present. For most of us, this will be our experience in life. God is present to us and speaks to us more often through the actions of others, than a Monty Python-type voice hailing from the sky. Likewise, we are called to do our best to try to create God's kingdom on this earth, by using our abilities and resources to help others and ourselves. Essentailly the story of Ruth is the story of women, who do all they can to help themselves, despite the fact that they are at a disadvantage by lacking male family members, and one of them (Ruth) is a foreigner and the other (Naomi) essentially is a stranger in her homeland, as she had lived outside it for so long. Despite the odds, they maintain their faith in the future, and eventually their welfare not only vastly improves, but they become the ancestors of David.

This is a great gift for girls who are reaching adolescence age. Or perhaps for any woman who is feelign a bit run down by life. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the message is optimistic. It is book that encourages hope in life, no matter how daunting one's station in life may appear to be, and reinforces the adage attributed to Augustine of Hippo that to be successful one must work as if every thing depended on one's self, but pray as if every thing depended on God.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Story of Ruth, July 29, 2006

By 

Jean F. Ryan "Wisdom Seeker" (Libertyville IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life (Hardcover)

Jam packed with wisdom and insight for all people. A must read for all women and one that you will read many times. Sure wish I had this guide when I was a young woman. Plan to use as a discussion book for a spirituality group. A fabulous book to give as a gift.