At a time when more and more readers are rediscovering their spirituality and seeking to integrate the divine into their daily lives, Vintage is proud to inaugurate its own series of spiritual classics. As the series title suggests, these books include the mainstays of the Western spiritual canon along with some of its less familiar masterpieces. They have been selected both for their historical importance and for their continued relevance to successive generations of readers. Printed in handsome uniform editions, with specially commissioned introductions by distinguished contemporary commentators, Vintage Spiritual Classics present the cumulative wisdom of the centuries to contemporary readers.

The definitive introduction to the stories and sayings of the holy men and women who, beginning in the fourth century A.D., pioneered the contemplative tradition of Christianity in their retreats in the deserts of North Africa and Asia Minor. In this lucid and beautiful translation by Helen Waddell, The Desert Fathers opens a window onto the world of early Christianity while presenting us with touchingly human models of faith, humility, and compassion.