In this book, as well as her other books, Sr. Wendy gives us a glimpse into the soul of a contemplative. I use this book for periods of quiet meditation.

On the right side of the book: works of art you would probably pass in a museum without a second thought

On the left side of the book: parsimonious, at times humorous, always educational and thought provoking interpretations of those works of art .. never exceeding a page of interpretation for a page of the work of art

One is thus hard pressed to differentiate one work of art from another. The gestalt is just gorgeous and a real treasure.

This book reflects the most beautifully written, elegant collection of art criticism available. Each critique is in itself as artful as the works Ms. Beckett discusses.

Sister Wendy helps us to use our eyes to find our way to God by looking at art - mostly modern. Her responses are always original and perceptive. For instance, she looks at a painting done in 1983 by Shanti Panchal. It is of a dark-skinned man, brooding in a sombre way, wrapped up defensively in a huge blanket, sitting on a sofa. She sees it as a statement about human dignity and privacy. She says:

" (This man) is a dark enigma. He is exposed to our view externally full in the front of the painting, darkly brooding in his purple shawl, ... No-one can take his privacy from him, no swathing can impair the interior freedom that makes him a man. ... Panchal shows us something of human dignity, its independence of anything but God. ... We may always feel straitjacketed by our personality ... hemmmed in by our environment or heredity, imprisoned by our past weaknesses and sins. How we feel is unimportant. God is a God of soaring freedom but He can only lift into His peace a heart that allows itself to be still before Him, and trust, to be afraid and helpless and yet at peace, because what is deepest within us knows that His Presence is Salvation."

That is essential Sister Wendy. Every word is chosen with crystal precision to glance the light at us in just the right way. And she always points through the painting and past her own perceptions to God who is waiting to meet us in prayer. Dip into Sister Wendy's book so that you can dip into the well of Living Water within yourself. You will never be sorry that you did.

In a world where so many things compete for one's attention, the world of fine art is often overlooked for more contemporary and, as we often see it, more relevant media. This book opened up a whole new world for me as I read it, on an eight hour flight home to my native Britain from the US. I've since taken several art history courses and read a great deal more. Sister Wendy has had her critics in the art world, invariably from those elitists who would use art as a means to promote themselves, and perhaps don't wish to see any kind of knowledge or familiarity of great art trickle down to the person in the street. Sister Wendy, far from popularizing art in the trendy sense, individualizes it, not by personalizing it, but by humanizing it. While some of her interpretations may not always coincide with the the received criticism, she does something far more important and far more indicative of the true Christian nature of the woman; she humanizes it for us and thereby makes it accessible. What once looked like a painting of some people from the past on a balcony is now a comment on ourselves and our society, as relevant today as when it was painted, and that is the great truth Sister Wendy gave me: that art is not something to be afraid of but, like the great literature and music of the ages, with which many of us are infinitely more familiar, art is as important and as rich a source of the human experience, its moments and its continuity, as is any novel or symphony. I used to think that it was only given to a few people to really understand art, and that "I must not have a very visual mind" but I failed to see what is, in retrospect, quite stunningly obvious. Art was always, after all, meant to be seen, and with a little work to understand the references in a work, which viewers of the time would have often have immediately understood, and by not being afraid of it or thinking it obscure, one can find every bit as much satisfaction and humanity in a work of art as one can in literature. For me literature was always my habit, now, thanks to Sister Wendy, I have an art habit (all accusations of a very poor nun pun there are denied in the strongest possible terms). To be honest, I wasn't even all that interested in art. I knew nothing about it and didn't try to find out with any seriousness of intent, mostly because I thought it was all too terribly serious in itself and the arty people I knew all took themselves way too seriously. So, to her critics, I say, Sister Wendy has done more than anyone or anything I have encountered to truly bring art to the people, where it is meant to be. She does not jealously guard her knowledge of art, only to be shared with an elite few but, in true Christian spirit, is spreading an appreciation of it to those who might not otherwise care all that much, and gently opening up whole new amazing worlds for them. I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone.

CHAOS exists only in the title of this book. It is childlike in it simplicity and deeply devout. May it bring peace.

"In The Midst Of Chaos, Peace," is a reminder of the gentle, yet strong spirit of an ever-present God, who still lives and breathes beneath a world in turmoil and values gone haywire! It is a beautiful blending of three enormous talents that fit together well, to create a masterpiece of lyric and "visual music," that will stir the soul at every reading! One wonders how any human could create such beauty with paper, and sissors, and endless patience and faith. And Sr. Wendy's words fit perfectly, making this an unforgettable book for all ages!

Dan Paulos creates silhouettes of peace. Discreetly, they whisper a message of pure giving, secret gardens of joy, and radiant blessings. Indeed, where art becomes an exercise in prayer, only there is truly sacred art. The humble papercutting artist of Albuquerque and friend of the late Sister Mary Jean Dorcy gives beauty an old-new name, that of selflessness, source of peace.

I truly enjoyed the Book of Meditations so ordered several others. Meditations on Silence, Meditations on Love and Meditations on Joy. When they came they were the exact same things that were in the larger Book of Meditations. Had I known this I would not have spent and additional 7.00 per book for something I already possessed.

Please let others know the smaller books are just parts of the larger book. Nothing new here....very dissappointing......

I recently read this terrific book from the wise Sister Wendy. After all, a woman who spends her life in contemplitive prayer should have much to share with us! The joy of this book, especially for art lovers, is that each devotion is based upon a beautiful painting or art work. While one reads the devotion, the eyes travel back and forth to the picture. I have been challenged by Sister Wendy's loving words, and use it in the mornings to include in daily devotions in worship. Perhaps the best section (perhaps because it's the first and it catches one unawares), is on silence. Living in such hectic times, it is refreshing to be encouraged to seek silence -- silence within one's self and silence with God so that he can speak to us and we can hear him - in that beautiful silence. Thank you, Sister Wendy, for a very lovely book.

I heard an interview with Sister Wendy on NPR's Fresh Air, and found it hard to believe a person could be so intrinsically good. I was skeptical, but curious too, since she had spent years in a Carmelite Order in which silence is the rule. Still, I remained skeptical until I looked over Sister Wendy's books in a bookstore--they were hard to find, and found that her Meditations had a great deal of wisdom in it--on silence, peace, love, and joy. Each meditation was based on a dozen or so works of art (Sister Wendy is best known her books and PBS programs on art appreciation), and all reflect the essence of Christianity--the Christianity that has become so rare in this era of the religious right. I am happy to recommend it to anyone; her words are consistent with all the great world religions. As with all of them, there are no easy answers, but there are many solid things to work on--for a long time, for most of us.

A beautifully constucted book for as far as it goes, but we Sister Wendy lovers are left wanting more! If anything, it seems too small in scale. Like a delicious meal that we're only allowed to take a couple bites of. This is actually a great thumbnail introduction to saints for all us non-Catholics. The usual great paintings with Sister Wendy's wonderful, insightful commentaries. But we wish for bigger visual and literary feast. Everything about the book is small scale. Some of the illustrations should have been blown up to a larger size. We wish Sister Wendy would have gone on longer in her commentaries. At 93 pages, we wish for at least 100 more. She shouldn't have limited her selections to paintings from just one Italian exhibition. For all its brevity, I highly recommend the book. Lasty, don't pass up any chance to snag a copy of the video version of this book which aired on PBS.

Sister Wendy Beckett is a gifted story teller and artist. Her delightful paintings and her wonderfully original expressions bring Catholicism to all readers. This delightful book is truly one of a kind. Sister Wendy shares her love for painting and her gift for this medium in this work. Her loving recounting of the accounts of saints' lives will touch, amuse and delight all who are fortunate enough to encounter this wonderful book.

Sister Wendy shows a light touch, a gentle approach to imparting her faith journey and the information she has gathered over the years. The bright colors emphasize the light, bright, upbeat tone of this wonderful book. I can't recommend it highly enough. This is truly a keeper.

God bless Sister Wendy!

Sister Wendy's Book of Saints By Sister Wendy Beckett.
This is a beautiful little book (96 pages), all bright and shiny paper with brilliant colors that almost leap off the page. Sister Wendy, the nun who has made a trade mark out of her running in and out of art museums, has collected the images of saints to support both her love of art and her orthodox views on Catholicism. The book begins with St. Peter (Petrine privilege?) and works its way down to lesser-known saints.
With each portrait, Sister Wendy points out an interesting tidbit. For example, with the Evangelist, St. Mark, (page 17), Sister Wendy indicates that the artist has portrayed the saint forming a cross with his pen and his sharpening knife. She lightens the mood by describing the lion, in the painting, as resembling "... an imbecilic sheep gazing in wonderment..." at St. Mark. This lightening of the mood is intentional as Sister Wendy repeats it (page 24) when she describes the ox in St. Luke's portrait as "...an almost goofy ox".

Despite this levity, Sister Wendy comes across as quite serious about both the art depicting the saints and the theology of the saints she has chosen. In summary, I would be very happy to have this book given to me.

After re-reading The Story of Painting up to the Mannerist period, I read History of Art, by A. W. Janson, up until the same time. I found both experiences wonderful.

Glancing back at The Story of Painting, the incomparable visual presentation was dramatically apparant. I have been wondering ever since if Sister Wendy Beckett arranged for some of her profits to be plowed back into high quality paper and extra large details that you find throughout the book.

I also appreciate the time she takes to closely analyze some of the paintings. In the History of Art, there are many references to the necessity to be brief. Sister Wendy takes the time to look in depth at key paintings.

In regards to a former review where it said that Sister Wendy knows nothing about art, I would be interested in a few solid examples of her ignorance. She certainly delights me with her presentations and has motivated me to further study.

If you are a Sister Wendy Beckett fan, I would encourage you to get a copy of the VCR-taped interview with Bill Moyers. I find her depth and insight an inspiration and Bill Moyers is a most excellent interviewer. I wish they would do it with a few more topics, such as English Literature and European History.

The first time I came across Wendy Becket's "The Story of Painting", I was taking some History of the Art classes and I thought this book would be very useful for my lessons. I was completely wrong. It was not only useful for my course but also for my everyday life as an art enthusiast.

Now, three years and much more experience later I still have this book at hand because I always want to check something about a painter or a work. Her stile is unique and easy. Although the book is chronological developed, one can pick a picture at randon and read and learn about it. It deals with the whole history of painting since the primitive humans to the late 20th century artists. It is packed with beautiful colourful paintings that are a refresh for the eyes - some readers may find funny what I said hence the fact I am writing about a of about art, but I myself have some art history books in which most pictures are black & white, what can be very frustating.

In the begining of every section, there's a very complete timeline showing historical and artitics events of each era. And in every single page there are some margin notes about any relevant point related to the main picture such as times, characters, literature... But the most important thing, to me, is the study of the paintings. They are very detailed and easy to understand even for those who always complian not understanding art. Evey tecnical term that the writer uses is explained in an easy way.

It seems to me that the only thing that this book misses out is sculpture. But it is not actually a problem, once the book is about painting. I feel that after reading and studying most of this book - I haven't read everything yet- I've never looked to a painting as I did before. Now I know how to analyze and really enjoy it. I highly recomend this book for those who when contemplating a painting can only say " OH! That's beatiful!",because everybody says so. This book will give you background to say why a painter is good or not.

I first read this book when I was enrolled in an art history class in college. The text book we had for the class was informative, but many of the works we studied in detail were not pictured in the text. Sister Wendy covered each of those major works with great care. Her photos and close-ups were, almost work for work, the exact paintings and close-ups we had discussed in the class. I ended up reading more from Sister Wendy than from the text, because she gave wonderful synopses of key points, and included more photos. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is curious about painting. It will improve your future museum visits just by flipping through the pages

Inspired by the profound spiritual nature of great art, Sister Wendy enjoys sharing her wisdom and insight.

After years of silent contemplation, she now reveals to us the delightful aspects of love contained in art. With each piece of artwork, Sister Wendy shares her thoughts on how the symbols, facial expressions or scenes relate to love as we know it.

Sister Wendy questions the art and wants us to decide if what we are seeing is really love or just an illusion. Is a bodily embrace love? Is giving flowers love?

I think of all the things anyone has ever given to me, flowers are one of the most memorable. Who does not remember that first bunch of flowers? Yesterday, my husband came home with a dozen roses, which I was completely surprised by.

To me, a bunch of flowers symbolizes the love my husband feels for me. Sister Wendy explains how in "Man Gives Woman Flowers" the grandfather clock in the picture symbolizes "time." The woman holds back and the man is leaning forward, symbolizing, he wants this relationship more than she does. This is perhaps something you would easily figure out on your own when viewing the picture.

However, in "The Arnolfini Marriage" there is a delightful pair of shoes that symbolizes much more. "The Cradle" is perhaps the most beautiful picture in the book and shows a mother's love.

"Love is both infinitely rewarding and endlessly demanding. The two aspects are inseparable."

A beautiful book to give to someone you love.

Sister Wendy may seem a little on the corny side but this collection of artwork is amazing. Not only does she not emphasize on one era or movement of art she makes sure to include the famous with the not so well-known. These masterpieces re-ignite the belief in true love and the beauty of romance.

Although this is a lovely book, with many lovely thoughts and lessons, there are some paintings that young children will find disturbing. Even my thirteen-year-old daughter was shocked by the painting of the murder of a Pope. There is also some semi-nudity (from the rear) which readers should be aware of. Although this book encourages children to love God, I feel Sister Wendy could have chosen paintings more appropriate for children.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I took it to work where it was loved by all, including atheists. Sister Wendy truly is imbued with the Holy Spirit and it just comes pouring right out of the pages of this book. Reading level is listed as 4 - 8 years of age, but my 9 year old and I and love it too. The prayers are simple, honest, direct and lovely. Suitable for use with even the youngest child. The paintings and her comments lend themselves to medidation by people of all ages. Sister Wendy helps us to see the divine joy in art, and through it, life.

A great book for children, with beautiful art pictures, and beautiful prose & thoughts of prayer & reflection.