My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the saints that were reviewed. But maybe even more than that was the life of a woman that parallels the lives of the saints. The saints she discussed were Teresa of Avilla, Therese of Liseux, Mother Teresa, Edith Stein, Faustina of Poland and Mary of Nazareth. The truth is I am fascinated about studying how the saint's lived their lives. I connected with the author not so much in the details of a father with Alzheimer’s or bouts with infertility but with a woman searching for more. I am in the general demographic the book was intended being a middle class woman in my 40's. The book was easier to read because I identified with the main character. I didn't see a big change in the main character of the author beyond normal college shallowness and a woman in her thirties having a baby. There was a natural sense of maturity through the decade and half of living. The author did glean some similarities between herself and the saints she discusses. There was a self identified reawakening of her Catholic faith. I admired the patience of her spouse and I questioned her personal priorities at times. The author seemed overly dismissive of adoption but I haven't been in the position of infertility so it hard to judge how I would feel in this position. I would recommend this book to learn more about these saints since she gives a good biographical history of each. It gives a good example of how we as readers can draw parallels with the saints even if not at first an obvious one. The author maintains her faith ideals through personal trials as she questions her roles as daughter, wife and mother. Overall I enjoyed this book and I think you will too.