Bernadette of Lourdes: Her life, death and visions: new anniversary edition
(Paperback, 2nd edition)
Publishing Details
Bernadette of Lourdes: Her life, death and visions: new anniversary edition
By (Author) Thrse Taylor
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
18th September 2008
2nd edition
United Kingdom
Classifications
Professional and Scholarly
Non Fiction
Biography: religious and spiritual
Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church
Spirituality and religious experience
271.9102
Physical Properties
Paperback
384
Width 156mm, Height 234mm
540g
Description
Bernadette of Lourdes: her life, death and visions is the first ever scholarly biography of Bernadette Soubirous, either in French or in English. It draws upon many testimonies and archival sources that have never previously been published.Therese Taylor explains who Bernadette was, and how she lived and died but takes no position on whether or not her visions were genuine. This story begins in Bernadette's native country of the Pyrenees, a mountain region haunted by tales of fairies, witches and miraculous groves and springs. It follows Bernadette's astonishing life story, from her family circle, through her years of fame, to her retirement at the convent of St Gildard at Nevers. Her difficult relationships with the historians of Lourdes and her lengthy terminal illness are also considered.
This biography places Bernadette in the context of her time. She was born into a volatile family and her parent's lives were blighted by economic failure and alcoholism. At the age of fourteen Bernadette was an illiterate child-servant, who suddenly experienced a series of visions of a White Lady in the Grotto of Massabielle. Townspeople, government officials, clergy and journalists were all drawn in, and sought out Bernadette in order to assess her story. A chain of events was set off which made her one of the most famous women in France. Bernadette has to be understood not only in religious terms, but also with reference to themes such as tourism, commercialism, mass-representation and the exploitation of female celebrities.
Reviews
mention about the reprinting 24 October 2008 * Church Times *
Book blurb in The Universe. 'This biography places Bernadette in the context of her time.' * The Universe *
Author Bio
Dr. Thrse Taylor is a Lecturer in Modern History at Charles Sturt University, Australia. She has written articles on many topics, including the history of medicine, religion, and crime.
