"A
thrillingly beautiful book. A memorable addition to the great 'quest' books of
Christianity."—
Church
Times
(London)
"Cowan's
elegant meditation upon Christian asceticism is the perfect antidote to the
consumerism and hedonism of modern culture. His search for wisdom in the
Egyptian desert reminds us that another way of life, based upon love and
self-sacrifice, is available to all who are willing to seek it
out."—Philip Zaleski, editor of the Best American Spiritual Writing
series and author of
The
Recollected Heart
"Sceptic
or believer, once you travel with James Cowan to Saint Anthony's cave, you are
wayless, yet stick with him until you have experienced illumination. This
redemptive light is Anthony's, Cowan's, or maybe yours. You have gone on an
extraordinary journey with an erudite and poetic guide. Through hermitic
meditation one comes upon the science of the spirit, and the self escapes from
illusory time and space to merge in the desert flame of salvation. We discover
that solitude is the elixir of eternity."—Willis Barnstone, editor of
The
Other Bible
,
and with Marvin Meyer,
The
Gnostic Bible
