Mother Teresa：A Complete Authorized Biography

BookDescriptionDuringherlifetime,MotherTeresaresistedhavingherfullbiographywritten.Then,in1991,realizingthataccountsofherlifeandworkcouldinspireothers,shegaveKathrynSpink,whohadlongbeenintimatelyinvolvedwiththeworkofMotherTeresaandherorderandco-workersaroundtheworld,permissiontoproceedwithacompletebiographyontheunderstandingthatitwouldnotbefinisheduntilafterherdeath.Here,now,isthecompletestoryofMotherTeresaofCalcutta,founderoftheMissionariesofCharityandwinneroftheNobelPeacePrize,awomanregardedbymillionsasacontemporarysaintforherdedicationtoservingthepoorestofthepoor.FromherchildhoodinBalkansasamemberofaremarkablyopenheartedandreligiousfamilytoherworkinIndia,fromattendingthevictimsofwar-tornBeiruttopleadingwithGeorgeBushandSaddamHusseintochoosepeaceoverwar.MotherTeresawasdrivenbyanabsolutefaith.SheconsistentlyclaimedthatshewassimplyrespondingtoChrist'sboundlessloveforherandforallofhumanity.WhenPeoplemagazineinterviewedKathrynSpinkfortheircoverstoryonMotherTeresa'sdeath,Spinktoldthem:"WhatonehastounderstandaboutMotherTeresaisthatsheseesChristineverypersonsheencounters."Cladinherwhitepeasantsariwithblueedging,MotherTeresabroughttotheworldagreatandlivinglessoninjoyfulandselflesslove.Amazon.comForyearsMotherTeresahasappearedatthetopofeverylistoftheworld'smostinfluentialwomen,incompanywithDiana,PrincessofWales,andJacquelineKennedyOnassis.Differentinalmosteveryrespectfromthosefamouswomen,shedidshareoneimportantquality:shewasastar.InMotherTeresa,biographerKathrynSpinkgoesbeyondhersubject'spublicpersonatoexaminethelifeofamodern-daysaint.InthecourseoftracingMotherTeresa'slife--fromherbirthinAlbaniatoheryearsinIrelandandthenIndiawiththeLoretoSisterstothefoundingofherownorder,theMissionariesofCharity--Spinkexplorestheramificationsofhersubject'slifeandworkonthelivesofthoseshelaboredforandwith.MotherTeresa'sfrailappearancebeliedthesteelywillandpublic-relationssavvyshebroughttothetaskoflooseningpotentialdonor'spursestringsandattractingattentiontohercause.WasMotherTeresaakindofspiritualcolonialist,ascriticshavecharged,moreinterestedinhelpingthepoordieinastateofgracethaninchangingtheconditionsinwhichtheylived?Spinkdiscussesthisandotherthornyquestionswithgraceandhonesty,atthesametimeemphasizinghersubject'sadmirableachievements.TheNewYorkTimesBookReview,MichaelSherryInherstraightforward"authorizedbiography,"Spink,theauthorofpreviousbooksonMotherTeresa,gentlyacknowledgesandplausiblyrebutscriticismsfrompeople"uncomfortablewithgoodness,skepticalofsimplicity."BookDimensionlength:(cm)19.7width:(cm)12.8