Butler’s Lives of the Saints (1995 Easton Press edition), meticulously revised and expanded by Herbert J. Thurston, is a sumptuous, heirloom-quality volume that revitalizes Alban Butler’s classic 18th-century hagiography for modern readers. This edition, crafted by Easton Press as part of their distinguished library, is a masterpiece of bookmaking—bound in rich, supple leather adorned with 22-karat gold tooling, featuring gilt-edged pages, a silk moiré bookmark, and archival-quality paper designed to endure for generations.
Thurston’s scholarly revisions preserve Butler’s devotional spirit while incorporating 20th-century historical research, offering nuanced accounts of saints’ lives that balance reverence with critical inquiry. Organized by the liturgical calendar, the entries span from early Christian martyrs like St. Perpetua to medieval mystics like St. Francis of Assisi, each narrative weaving together miracles, cultural context, and theological significance.
A treasure for collectors, theologians, and historians, this edition transforms a reference work into an art object, reflecting the enduring legacy of sanctity across centuries.
For admirers of: The Golden Legend (Voragine), The Liturgy of the Hours, or Easton Press’s Great Books of the Western World series.