Light of the Night: The Last Eighteen Months in the Life of Therese of Lisieux

Therese of Lisieux died on 30 September 1897. Nine months later, the now classic Story of a Soul appeared and proved an immediate success. However, when historians had access fifty years later to manuscripts written by Therese they were surprised to discover enormous differences between these texts and the published version of Story of a Soul.

Jean-Francois Six has written this new book with two purposes. First, he recalls the history of how Mother Agnes, Prioress of the Carmelite convent and sister of Therese altered and completed Therese’s text so that it became a travesty of the original. Secondly he re-establishes the truth of the last months of Therese’s life, her authentic spiritual message, and her contribution to the history of mysticism.

Here is a key study and a crucial work of rehabilitation.