Saints Illustrated
The stories of the saints are educational, formative, and many of them are great fun. This compilation looks at a choice collection of saints, some more familiar than others, each presented with art and a bit of information about their lives.
The publisher, Amber Books, has this to say about Saints Illustrated:
Arranged in chronological order, the book covers all the major saints, from St Paul, the Apostle who did most to spread Christianity following the death of Christ, and established Christian communities in Asia Minor – to Pope John Paul II, famous for being a peacemaker and providing spiritual inspiration during the fall of communism. In between, this compact volume covers well-known historical figures such as Joan of Arc, who defended the honour of France in the Medieval era, the philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas, and lesser-known saints such as Zita, the 13th century patron saint of maids and domestic servants.
The publisher promises that the physical book is a beautiful experience, for both the art and the traditional Chinese binding style. I cannot verify this as the copy I was given is digital. I can say that the artwork chosen and the layout are lovely, even on a screen.
This is not an in-depth study of saints or the theology surrounding them, but it does not pretend to be either. This is a lovely, beautiful, brief introduction to a collection of important figures from (primarily Western) Christian history. It would make a great addition to a church library, could be used as a devotional exercise in getting to know the saints better, or would be beautiful on a coffee table.
I received a free copy of this ebook from Amber Books Ltd via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
