Thomas à Kempis (ca. 1380-1471) was a German monk and a practical mystic. His classic The Imitation of Christ has long been a favorite of Christians of all denominational backgrounds. It is said that Thomas's book has been the most read of any book other than the Bible.
Brother Lawrence (1611 – 1691) was born Nicholas Herman in the Lorraine region of France. As a young man, he fought in the Thirty Years’ War before joining the Carmelite order. Immediately after his death, The Practice of the Presence of God was compiled from his letters and conversations.
St. Catherine of Siena is one of two patron saints of Italy, along with St. Francis of Assisi. She was one of the first two women to be named a Doctor of the Church, and her Dialogues are considered a masterpiece of Christian mystical literature that ranks with the writings of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross.
