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Title: A balanced look at a Carmelite saint
Review: As a Third Order (Lay) Carmelite, I am pleased to recommend Medwick's book to anyone who wants a balanced account of the spiritual and secular journeys of St. Teresa, who lived during Spain's most storied and colorful century. Teresa is often misunderstood, even caricatured, but Medwick strives to show us a clear picture of this woman who was both extremely simple and wondrously complex. Teresa was well acquainted with the world, yet fell passionately in love with her Lord, who called her to look beyond the world into an eternal relationship with Him. Hers was the ancient and ever-new Carmelite experience. I somewhat expected a kind of sneering irony in tone, but, thankfully, I never encountered it, as Medwick did a scholarly and earnest job throughout. Kudos to her, whose account is well researched and compelling, a real-page turner.
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