St. Teresa of Ávila : A Life Inspired

by Wyatt North

Let nothing disturb youLet nothing frighten youAll things pass never changes.Patience obtains all things.He who has GodFinds he lacks nothing;God alone suffices.– Saint Teresa of ÁvilaSt. Teresa stands among the greatest of the mystics. It was her pursuit of Christ, not her pursuit of visions, that set her apart as one of the most notable saints in the history of Christendom. It is her dedication to her Lord, her Bridegroom, not her experiences, that render her worthy of imitation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, Biography, Christian, Catholic, Womens

131 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2020

Reviews

[Mrs C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple introduction to St Teresa

Spending an hour of discovering the headlines of Teresa's life has been an encouragement to seek Christ first in everything. To be serious in confessing sin, doubt, comfort and self-obsession, realistic about the pressures of life but also intentional about submitting to God's grace.
It is hard to relate to the way she despises her natural state but good to be inspired by her devotion to the deeper life and how she overcame many obstacles to share that with others.
A strong theme in the book is that a disciple seeks Christ not mystical experience.

[C Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative

I chose to read this book because I'm curious about St. Teresa of Avila. She is the patron Saint of my school where I studied from prep to high school.

Reading parts of her life made me understand the core values taught in our school, which are simplicity and humility.

St. Teresa didn't have an extravagant life. While she came from a family of means, it was a sin for her to indulge in luxuries.

Her intimate relationship with God, as well as referring to her confessors lead her to the straight path and until her death, she's aware of her perceived failings.

[Kara ✨]

Although the Wyatt North saint biographies would benefit from further editing, I’ve become quite fond of them.

[Paul Yanchek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really well done, highlighting the major themes of her life without getting lost in every biographical detail.

[Rory Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short simple introduction to the life of one of the most fascinating women of the Sixteenth Century. It is a religious biography of a medieval Saint but the story is told without sentimentality or fantastical elements.

Teresa is known for a quip she made when struggling through a difficult journey. ‘Oh God,’ she cried, ‘if you treat your friends like this, no wonder you haven’t got many!’ That down to earth attitude contrasts with the Baroque piety of Teresa’s Spain. It gives her a gritty charm which continues to attract modern readers to her almost 500 years after she died.

I would have liked to have heard more about Teresa’s foundations (the convents which she opened) and about the contemporary women who followed her. But, to be fair, there are plenty of longer more detailed studies of Teresa. This book does well to simplify a complex topic and breadth of scholarship into a simple overview of just ~130 pages.

[Angela Blount · Rating 3 out of 5]

As biographies go, this one wasn't terribly dry. But it also lost my attention on several occasions... and sometimes felt like it was running a lot longer than it truly was.

In retrospect, I probably should have started with Teresa's own works rather than having my first impression of her be through someone else. (Of what you do get, you can gather that she was a particularly cheeky nun. If a bit naive--due to her wealthy and sheltered background.) I did find it interesting how she managed to survive the Inquisition.

I'll still make an effort to hear about her, but more strictly in own words. Perhaps this background will help me get to know her more quickly, since I have more of a foundation now.

[bob mavretish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grateful I Found This Book

Not sure why I decided to read this book but so glad I did . It is an account of a woman who appeared to be ordinary but was, in fact, extraordinary. She was strong and brave and knew where her source of strength came from thereby helping and leading many, many people on the road to a deeper relationship with our Lord. This book was very informative and easy to read and understand. I appreciate the author's time and work so that I could share in the knowledge of this remarkable yet humble woman. Thank you, Mr. North.

[Kyle S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

So glad i stumbled upon this book! It has been a great way to dip my toes into mysticism. The author did a great job sharing Teresa’s life, wild experiences, and pursuit of Christ. I love that he says visions and mystical experiences aren’t the goal, but pursuing union with Christ. The conclusion sums it up perfectly. Worth the read!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book to get introduced to the life of St. Teresa of Avila! I also now have more recommendations for books to read about her. She was a great spiritual woman, who wanted her encounyers with God to be private but shared under direction of her confessor and spiritual director. She is a doctor of the church!

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative

This is a thesis report by the author. There are some errors - such as saying John of the Cross was arrested in December 1977. (Just four centuries off.) Also, all the footnotes are obviously comments by the scorer of the report. The information is good but it's not really a manuscript ready for publication.

[Sandra Sparkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book on St. Teresa of Avila, the first woman Doctor of the Church. St. Teresa is also called St. Teresa of Jesus. She was a nun, one of the great mystics, and an author, among other things. One of her quotes: "Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything."

St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us!

[Andrea Huelsenbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this biography of Teresa of Ávila because my daughter thought I’d be interested in Teresa, the Christian mystic. I bought the Kindle version. It’s very brief; the print version is 131 pages. I want more. Next, I’m reading Teresa’s complete works.

[Mark elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows how hard a life being a mystic really is. True there are a lot of gifts, but also a lot more pain than the average person has to deal with. A good book.

[Sarah Bolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it very much. Some books about the Saints are hard to read, but this one was not.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Live what you love

Short survey of Saint Teresa's life. Good read showing how tries to improve anything will meet resistance. Discussion on model life that works for her.

[Leya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have briefly heard about St Teresa and was interested to knowing more about her. Great summary about her life . Well written.

[Anthony Messina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook: A very brief bio on this intriguing Saint. I wanted to know more

[Cal Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love St Teresa of Avila. The more I read her works and the more I read about her the more I desire to be close to Our Lord. Now to read her autobiography next.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to the life of St Teresa of Avila

This book is a great introduction to the life of St Teresa of Avila - I recommend this book for this reason.

[Chip Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short overview of the life of Teresa of Avila.
Many Christian authors who I respect and have learned from have referenced her life and words.
I wanted to learn more about her.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an enlightening introduction to St. Teresa of Ávila. As my Confirmation Saint, I am convinced that I did not choose her; she chose me. From the various crosses she’s carried to the vices she’s fought, I saw fragments and reflections of myself in her story. Her spiritual development is a beautiful testimony to all of us that, through Christ, we have the capacity to become the person we were created to be.