Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) is one of the most beloved of the Catholic saints. In 1562, during the era of the Spanish Inquisition, Teresa sat down to write an account of the mystical experiences for which she had become famous. The result was this book, one of the great classics of spiritual autobiography. With this fresh translation of The Book of My Life, Mirabai Starr brings the inimitable Spanish mystic to life for a new generation, with contemporary English that mirrors Teresa's own earthy, vernacular Spanish, and that presents us with--four centuries after Teresa's death--someone we feel we know: a woman intoxicated with God yet filled with an overflowing love for the world.
The Way of Perfection is perhaps the simplest and most practical work of Teresa of Avila, one of the great religious figures of all time. She exhorts readers to nurture a lasting love of prayer by fulfilling three requirements, which are discussed in the text. Also included is her impassioned version of the Lord's Prayer.