Therese and Lisieux

This sumptuous pictorial biography of Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (Therese of Lisieux), considered by many Catholics to be ""the greatest saint of modern times,"" is published on her centenary. The oversized English translation contains 326 of rare photographs, illustrations and texts documenting the life and times of Therese (1873-1896). Descouvemont, a diocesan priest from Cambrai, France, and a devotee of Therese, prepared the text, which illuminates the reality of this young Carmelite's life ""in its historic, cultural, and religious context."" Thanks to this book, devotees of Therese may now feast upon the photos of the Carmel where she quickly grew into spiritual maturity, as well as photos of the preserved objects, books, holy cards, paintings and statues that were a part of Therese's spiritual coming-of-age. Because Descouvemont places Therese's biography within the context of a number of other histories, including her family's, individuals by whom she was influenced and the larger context of iconography and the French school of spirituality, the text is often hard to follow. Dead of tuberculosis before she was 30, Therese nevertheless influenced millions of believers through her posthumously published writings, and she was canonized in 1925. Descouvemont's book is a fascinating journey into the corporeal world of a modern-day saint. (Dec.)