The Wilderness of God

Rating:
Summary: Illuminating catena of literary testimonies
Review: Prof. Louth offers here a remarkable (and remarkably readable) little collection. He surveys the Christian history of the desert, focusing on its spiritual significance from Biblical to modern times. With his characteristically broad erudition, Louth draws our attention to the desert in unexpected places -- the Russian forest, for instance, or Eliot's London. There is but one flaw in the book: it lacks the closure that a synthetic conclusion would have given it. This is lamentable, particularly in light of how adroitly Louth presents his sources. In spite of this, The Wilderness of God is unmistakably a gracious little masterpiece that improves with each reading.