Two and a half years before her death in 1897 at the age of 24, as Thérèse Martin began writing down her childhood memories at the request of her blood sisters in the Lisieux Carmel, few could have guessed the eventual outcome. Yet this "story of my soul," first published in 1898 in a highly edited version, quickly became a modern spiritual classic, read by millions and translated into dozens of languages around the world. Decades later, in response to growing requests from scholars and devotees of the Saint, a facsimile edition of the manuscripts appeared, along with more popular French editions of what the Saint had actually written. Here, expressed with all of Thérèse's original spontaneity and fervor, we rediscover the great themes of her spirituality: confidence and love, the "little way," abandonment to God's merciful love, and her "mission" in the church and world today. Father John Clarke's acclaimed translation, first published in 1975 and now accepted as the standard throughout the English-speaking world, is a faithful and unaffected rendering of Thérèse's own words, from the original manuscripts. This new edition, prepared for the centenary of the Saint's death, includes a select bibliography of recent works in English on Thérèse, along with a new referencing system now widely used in studies of her doctrine. Includes general and biblical index, with 8 pages of photos.

Declaring Saint Therese of Lisieux a "Doctor of the Church" in 1997, Pope John Paul II presented her as "an eminent model and guide for Christians today." In this work, already published in several languages, a Spanish contemplative monk takes us into the depths of Therese's spiritual life. Meditating on her own words in the light of the teaching of Saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, the author shows that Therese's "little way," far from mere childish sentimentality, is "nothing other than the Gospel way of holiness for all" (John Paul II). "Like the gospels themselves St. Therese's Story of a Soul is told simply and without ornamentation. She writes from a heart that is little and poor, and thus in a literary form that is poor. Once we accept this literary poverty we begin to discover at its core the infinite riches of the love of Jesus that floods her life. The paradox here resembles that of the gospels: in littleness lies true grandeur, and in poverty true riches. The more one reads Therese the more one is struck by the depth and coherence of her writings. But like her life, the depth is hidden. Her rapid ascent in the spiritual journey was concealed from her contemporaries. People paid little attention to her: at first, because she was always on the verge of tears, and later, because she always appeared cheerful and content. Inwardly, however, she moved from heroism to heroism, ever on the watch for fresh opportunities to purify the gold of her charity, her heart set toward unexplored heights." . . . Forward, Therese, The Little Child of God's Mercy