The most important biography of St. Patrick of Ireland—now in PB!
Explore Patrick’s place in history, the spread of Christianity beyond the Roman Empire, how Patrick first came to Ireland, the influence of the earlier Palladius on Patrick’s work, political and social conditions at that time, and the spiritual battles with the Druids. This 21st century edition now includes notes from other biographers, mystics, historians, and storytellers of Ireland.
“Bury proves to be more than a mere dry historian; he turns out to be a fine storyteller as well, and his accounts of Patrick’s spiritual duels with Druid priests for the heart and mind of the Irish king are quite gripping.”
—History Book Club
“Editor-writer Sweeney gives Bury’s 1905 biography of the legendary St. Patrick a greater contemporary context in this meticulously researched and presented work…. Bury wrote what Sweeney calls the ‘ideal modern biography’ of Patrick…. Sweeney assembles and rearranges material from Bury’s original work and incorporates more of Patrick’s own words, from his Confession and Letter against Coroticus. Sweeney’s light edits to Bury’s text clarify exactly what Patrick did in Ireland, noting that although he did convert some pagan kingdoms, he also was responsible for organizing Christians who were already there and connecting the island with the church of the Roman Empire.”
—
Publishers Weekly
J. B. Bury (1861-1927) was an Irish historian, an expert on the Greek and Roman Empires, and the prestigious Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University.
Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and award-winning author. His books have been translated into many languages. He's a popular interpreter of the life and work of Francis of Assisi, and author of more than 40 books including
St. Francis of Assisi with a foreword by Richard Rohr, and
The Complete Francis of Assisi used by Third Order Franciscans. HBO optioned the film rights to Sweeney's book on the medieval Pope Celestine V,
The Pope Who Quit. In 2023, Jon published Sit in the Sun: And Other Lessons in the Spiritual Wisdom of Cats, and Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness and Light, coauthored with Mark S. Burrows. Jon has been interviewed on CBS News, WGN-TV, Fox News, and CBS Saturday Morning, and by publications online from CNN to Romper. He's a practicing Catholic who also prays regularly with his wife, a congregational rabbi. He loves the church, the synagogue, and other aspects of organized religion. He would never say he's "spiritual but not religious." He is the father of four and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sweeney is codirector of The Lux Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary; religion editor at Monkfish Book Publishing; editor of Living City magazine; and contributing editor for books at SpiritualityandPractice.com.
