St John of the Cross His Life and Poetry [Paperback]

An absorbing study of St John of the Cross, one of the foremost of Catholic mystics and poets.Gerald Brenan is well known for his expository works on Spanish history and literature, and, in this 1975 book, returns to an early interest in the Spanish mystics to produce an absorbing study of St John of the Cross, one of the foremost of Catholic mystics and poets.Gerald Brenan is well known for his expository works on Spanish history and literature, and, in this 1975 book, returns to an early interest in the Spanish mystics to produce an absorbing study of St John of the Cross, one of the foremost of Catholic mystics and poets.The paperback edition of a very successful and in some ways remarkable book, first published in 1973. Gerald Brenan is well known for his 'expository' works on Spanish history and literature, and now in his eighties he has returned to an early interest in the Spanish mystics to produce an absorbing study of St John of the Cross, one of the foremost of Catholic mystics and poets. The book is perhaps the first in English to combine an objective - but sensitive and lively - account of St John's life with a fresh translation (by Mr Brenan's associate Lynda Nicholson) of his verse.List of illustrations; Preface; Part I. The Life: 1. Childhood and youth; 2. The Carmelite reform; 3. Prison; 4. El Calvario and Baeza; 5. Granada; 6. Segovia; 7. Disgrace and death; 8. The sequel; Appendices; Part II. The Works: 9. An examination of the poetry; 10. The prose works; Part III. The Poems: 'En una noche oscura': 'The Dark Night'; 'Ad?nte te escondiste': 'The Spiritual Canticle' (Sanl?car version); 'Oh, llama de amor viva': 'The Living Flame of Love'; 'Quebien s? yo la fonte': 'Although by night'; 'Un pastorcico, solo, est? penado': 'A Pastoral'; 'Vivo sin vivir en m?': 'Dying because I do not die'; 'Tras de un amoroso lance': 'A quarry of Love'; 'Entr?me donde no supe': 'Verses written on an Ecstasy'; 'Encima de las corrientes': 'Ballad on the Psalm 'By thelC