108 Mystics

This wide-ranging book is a celebration of the many types of mystic divided into nine loose categories of visionaries, confessors, lovers, poets, saints, heretics, wisdom keepers, soul friends and unitives (my dictation system heard lunatics!). The are 12 in each category including well-known and much less well-known names. The format is a brief account of the life and thought of the individual, with selected quotations from their writings and a list of recommended reading. Entries range from 1 to 4 pages that give a sufficient taste of the mystic for people to know if they want to follow up in more detail. I found it interesting that mystics are defined in terms of love and saints in relation to goodness. Even well-read readers will find that they know only about half of those cited, so the book is very enriching in introducing new names from all historical epochs. Other entries like Caussade and Fenelon ring a vague bell, and it was good to see Raimon Panikkar, John O'Donohue and Richard Rohr included. Everyone will have their own list of omissions, and mine include Swedenborg and Brother Lawrence. The book can profitably be read as lectio divina, taking only one entry a day and reflecting on the significance of the person's life.