Saint Teresa of Avila

by Marcelle Auclair

Marcelle Auclair, the author, a delightful, sparkling woman of many achievements, strikes one as being nearly as versatile and enterprising as her favorite saint. Though born in France, she grew up in Chile, where Spanish ways of life and thought became second-nature to her. On her return to France, at the age of twenty, she married the novelist Jean Prevost, brought up three children, traveled extensively, published several novels herself, and founded and edited Marie-Claire, an outstandingly successful woman’s journal.

All through her life Marcelle Auclair assiduously studied the writings of Teresa of Avila. She admired in her an essentially “modern” woman: inventive, practical, gallant and intrepid, with tremendous organizational capacities, whose genius permitted her to break through the restrictions of her time. Madame Auclair decided to retranslate the saint’s writings and to write her life. With characteristic determination, she attempted to obtain the seemingly impossible (it had never been done before) – an authorization from the Holy See to enter the Carmelite cloisters in Spain and to gather authentic background material for her projected work. The permission was granted. On her return to Paris she gave up all her professional obligations and for two years virtually went into retreat, devoting her entire time to the accomplishment of what is no doubt the most vivid existing biography of this great saint.

Genres: Religion, Biography, Catholic, Spirituality, Esp, Faith

457 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcelle Auclair’s biography of St. Teresa of Ávila has been called the best ever written about her. Having read only two others, I cannot say it is the best but it is the best I’ve read so far. Although French, Auclair lived in two worlds growing up. Her father, a French architect, went to work in Chile in the early part of the 20th century when it was still ruled by the colonial families, living their Catholic faith much as their Spanish ancestors had four hundred years earlier. Marcelle, just a child at the time, grew up familiar with Chilean homes where almost life-sized crucifixes graced drawing rooms and everyone gathered in the evening for family prayer. Under such circumstances, nothing about Teresa was foreign to the young devotee.

Auclair loved the young, popular and pretty Teresa of Ávila, but she has an even deeper affection for Sr. Teresa of Jesus—her religious name—determined lover of God, daughter of the church, reformer, founder of seventeen convents for nuns as well as those for friars and today recognized by the esteemed title, ‘Doctor of the Church’, the first woman ever to be so honored.

The author manages to strike an even balance between the deep piety of the saint and the economic, cultural and ecclesial realities of 16th century Spanish life. I felt immersed in the time as I was reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the woman called, ‘Holy Mother’ by all Discalced Carmelites.

That is not to say, this is the only book on Teresa, but if you are only going to read one, this would be the one to read. If you are new to Teresa, this would be a good place to start, as after reading this you will not want to waste time on trivialized accounts of her life. For myself, I plan to continue to search out and read much more about our beloved foundress and saint.

Thanks again, Richard, for your continued endorsement of this book! It was every bit as good as you said it would be. 😇

[Jeff Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really was a joy to read. I was fairly familiar with many of the details from Teresa's own biography and other sources, but I really enjoyed the author's own comments and the summing up of the details. They could be both wise and funny, so very fitting for a biography of St. Teresa.

This is a translation from the French and I was told it is flawed in parts and that some details were taken out. Regardless, I highlighted so much of this not just as details, but for the observations made.

[Silvia Meewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most thorough biographies I've ever read, and masterfully done, particularly seeing as how the subject lived 500 years ago.

The reader is treated to a lively and still well-referenced account of the life of the saint in this extensive biography. It's a thick book, but very accessible and not necessarily angled at academics or intellectuals per se. The book provides details on Saint Teresa's surroundings, challenges in the Church at that time (providing a hard look in several places at the Inquisition), and above all amply details the Saint's spiritual development and how she changes as her life and work progress.

The book provides details on the miracles surrounding Saint Teresa of Avila and underpins them with references. It makes no attempt to persuade the reader into a Catholic ethos with a proselytizing narrative, but that being said, it is written with a tone of quiet admiration. Catholics in particular would enjoy this biography, although non-Catholics might appreciate the unassuming timbre of the author while learning about this great figure whose work to reform the Carmelite order and whose spiritual writings has had so much influence on the Catholic Church.

[Clara Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

El milagro de su amor consumaba su transformación

[Melissa]

November 7, 2011

Picked up this book four years ago at my church library. Never made time to read it. Instead I decided to order the movie about her life from EWTN and just watched it. Beautiful story about a passionate and courageous woman. Now I am inspired to start reading all the books about her and I'll start with this one today. I think I'll learn alot from her.

[Zeljka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a pure, unadulterated gem of female wisdom and spirituality. Modern feminism sounds like a joke when you read about Theresa of Avila's life, this larger than life female, spiritual activist in the middle of the 16th century Europe. The same part of history when The Spanish Inquisition raged across the Christian world and women served only for reproduction and free hard work. Irrelevant of their class.

Another amazing thing is how authentic mystics across the globe and with different religious backgrounds, after their search for the infinite, finally find themselves with the same wisdom. Wisdom that Aldous Huxley in his "Perennial Philosophy" well describes as one that transcends all times and places and that is inherit to our collective human psyche.

There is a wonderful book that compares "Hindu Thought and Carmelite Mysticism". It's basically different names for the same things. All sages found that the final fulfillment lies in two things: Inner prayer (meditation) and service to a fellow man. Theresa was almost unsurpassed in both. What Christian mystics lacked was this pretty useful tradition eastern religions have - the institution of a spiritual teacher or a guru. The one that clarifies and leads on the path toward the Great Goal, whatever you call it. Theresa was many times confused and in agony because she didn't know what was going on inside her, what was right and what wasn't. There was no one she could ask. The most she could do is exchange experience with a few similar and rare advanced souls along the way.

This is really one of the most inspiring books I have read so far. So positive, so optimistic, so warm. Even the great John of the Cross was said to be jealous of this Saint's disposition, in her circumstances. What a remarkable woman!

[Diego Estrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decidí que me haré experto en Teresa de Ávila y de Lisieux.

Teresa de Ávila es IRREAL… Esta biografía detalla toda su vida e interacciones con el mundo mientras crecía en su vida espiritual. Grandes referencias a sus textos originales (obviamente en inglés).

Fácil de leer. Lo de menos son los nombres, pero la travesía que vivió para lograr lo que hizo, ala…

[Natalia Gaete · Rating 2 out of 5]

Si bien la historia es increíblemente interesante, la traducción y la propia prosa dificulto la inmersión en ella. Los párrafos son largos, con poca puntuación y muchas veces uno se olvida que está leyendo una biografía porque el autor indaga demasiado en el contexto histórico.

[Kianga Elemar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce livre est d'une grande beauté linguistique, presque poétique. Un beau résumé de la pensée de Teresa, il est aussi un fidèle témoin de ses talents d'écrivaine. Mon seul regret est qu'il ne dit pas grand chose de la nuit obscure traversée par cette dernière.

[Carlos Wulf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completa biografía de Santa Teresa, ayuda a conocer la vida de esta mujer que marcó y sigue marcando un camino de espiritualidad que sigue marcando a la Iglesia Católica. 100% recomendable.

[Isabel Keats · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 en realidad, se me hizo un poco pesado, pero lo combiné con otros libros más ligeros.

[Oscar Beorlegui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gran libro 4.7

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written book