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optimisticowl's review against another edition
5.0
I started off reading this book with the translation from E. Allison Peers and got over half way through but I found it very hard to read. So I started reading it again from the beginning with this translation from Mirabai Starr and it made the world of difference to my comprehension as it had much more clarity. I did not notice much difference in what I had already read from Peers in terms of core content but in Starr's version I could read with little faltering and it made St. John's writings much much more accessible.
Translation aside, this book is very heavy and I cannot begin to relate to what St. John went through. I have never had depression or a strong spiritual experience. But this book beautifully puts these unique and powerful experiences in words. He uses delicious metaphors ranging from "dark" rays of light to lovers meeting in the night. As someone who has not even gone through what he calls the Night of the Sense (the less intense of the two "Nights") I still found this very interesting and thought provoking read on how people of strong faith go through great suffering, especially if they keep their faith and think God has abandoned them.
The beginning of the book goes into "Spiritual Vices" where he lists spirtual envy, greed, lust, pride amongst others. He attributed these vices to beginners in the faith. I liked this section rather a lot since I could most relate to what was said here and could reflect on which vices I have.
He had a particular passion for the Book of Job and the Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) and he references them in showing glimpses of this dark night of the soul.
I am no scholar or a Catholic so I cannot speak of the accuracy of the translation, or the importance in the Catholic faith of St. John's writings. But they made him a Saint and he is a very well known poet in Spain. Google him!
Translation aside, this book is very heavy and I cannot begin to relate to what St. John went through. I have never had depression or a strong spiritual experience. But this book beautifully puts these unique and powerful experiences in words. He uses delicious metaphors ranging from "dark" rays of light to lovers meeting in the night. As someone who has not even gone through what he calls the Night of the Sense (the less intense of the two "Nights") I still found this very interesting and thought provoking read on how people of strong faith go through great suffering, especially if they keep their faith and think God has abandoned them.
The beginning of the book goes into "Spiritual Vices" where he lists spirtual envy, greed, lust, pride amongst others. He attributed these vices to beginners in the faith. I liked this section rather a lot since I could most relate to what was said here and could reflect on which vices I have.
He had a particular passion for the Book of Job and the Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) and he references them in showing glimpses of this dark night of the soul.
I am no scholar or a Catholic so I cannot speak of the accuracy of the translation, or the importance in the Catholic faith of St. John's writings. But they made him a Saint and he is a very well known poet in Spain. Google him!
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