Thérèse of Lisieux: Wisdom's Daughter

The Story of a Brilliant Young Mind

AT A GLANCE:
A brilliant young saint of the Catholic Church is given a loving and faithful treatment by a professor specializing in Carmelite studies.

CONTENT:
The series is structured loosely around Thérèse's book, Story of a Soul, using this and other materials (such as acquaintances, family memoires and personal letters) to shed light on this celebrated saint, mystic and Doctor of the Church. The professor also draws heavily on the writings of her greatest inspirations, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, to provide the spiritual context and continuity within the monastic Carmelite tradition.
It should be noted that this is not a standalone work; we are informed early in the first lecture that it is best listened to while reading Thérèse's autobiography and I can attest this to be true. He does not provide a commentary of the work in depth. As an example, he refers to the all-important status of Manuscript B (which he calls "the heart" of all her writings) but covers its ideas only briefly in the last lecture or two; he clearly assumes that you are reading the work for yourself.

NARRATOR:
Professor Egan holds distinguished chairs in Carmelite institutes in Washington D.C. and in Rome. His presentational style is accessible and easy to follow. He speaks quickly compared to many other professors on Audible and I felt no need to switch the playback speed. His voice is deep and speech steady, though he suffers from frequent "um"s and "ah"s during the many extemporaneous moments where he diverges from the course plan.
As a disclaimer, he cannot by any means be considered an impartial teacher. He holds a deep devotion to Thérèse as a saint and believes her to be his personal intercessor, mentioning that she saved him from death in his infancy. He also begins each lecture with a prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit, as the series' target audience is decidedly Christian and Catholic.

OVERALL:
As both a devotional exercise and a work of historical interpretation, I would wholeheartedly recommend this series to Catholics who wish to deepen their understanding of Thérèse's book within its greater context.

1 person found this helpful

Good lecture series on a great saint

If you're looking for a basic introduction to the Little Flower that is historical, prayerful, and accessible, this is it.

Prof. Egan may God bless you!

I have been helped tremendously by Prof. Egan through well thought-out, instructive, insightful and informative lectures on St. Thérèse, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila- all of which have guided me in my search for a richer prayer life. I am most grateful to have been so blessed to have Prof. Egan as my guide in my constant SEEKING TO GO DEEPER, DEEPER and deeper still to encounter God through prayer.