--- product_id: 8262769 title: "Forgotten Desert Mothers, The: Sayings, Lives, and Stories of Early Christian Women" brand: "laura swan" price: "20888CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/8262769-forgotten-desert-mothers-the-sayings-lives-and-stories-of-early store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # Forgotten Desert Mothers, The: Sayings, Lives, and Stories of Early Christian Women **Brand:** laura swan **Price:** 20888CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Forgotten Desert Mothers, The: Sayings, Lives, and Stories of Early Christian Women by laura swan - **How much does it cost?** 20888CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/8262769-forgotten-desert-mothers-the-sayings-lives-and-stories-of-early) ## Best For - laura swan enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted laura swan brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![Forgotten Desert Mothers, The: Sayings, Lives, and Stories of Early Christian Women - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/417Xq7OCS8L.jpg) ![Forgotten Desert Mothers, The: Sayings, Lives, and Stories of Early Christian Women - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31VJio9W3JL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A sound exposition on the monastic / hermit / ascetic lifestyle. Recommended. *by B***D on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 24, 2015* I dropped one star only because this book covers a lot of territory other than the Ammas of the desert.. That said, it is superior to some of the books I've seen on the male desert hermits in the African desert. For those about whom we have some biographical information, it is all supplied in a narrative. This includes biographical sketches of those for whom we have no quotes.There is also a chapter on five non-hermetic deaconesses, most of whom lived in 'Asia Minor. The next chapter includes long sections on six women who were ascetic teachers, but not hermits. The most famous of these was Macrina the younger. The next was Marcella of Rome, also relatively well known in her time, as a founder of monasteries.This is not a scholarly book per se, and it is quite easy to read, but for those doing research, there are notes on sources tucked away in the back of the book. The author, a nun / scholar gives her personal take on the study of the Ammas and asceticism, and why this lifestyle may attract people today. This section gives a better picture of the monastic / ascetic life than the quotes and biographies. If it is the lifestyle which interests you, then I would promote this to five stars. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stories never told, and really fascinating *by M***I on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 7, 2009* Ever since I bought it, Laura Swan's "The Forgotten Desert Mothers: Sayings, Lives and Stories of Early Christian Women" has proved a very interesting read for a person caught up in the mundane life of inner-city Melbourne.Laura's Swan's stories of these women from mostly very wealthy backgrounds who turned to the simplest and most stringently ascetic lives never fail to stir my own imagination. The way in which some ammas would go so far as to wear hairshirts and sleep on hair mats is particularly stirring because it suggests to me that these people must have been remarkably devout and had deep emotional ties to God.They stories form, even for someone like myself who has never had the self-discipline to be a religious practitioner of any kind, stories that have a true beauty in their simplicity and the manner in which the desert ammas would not only teach numerous disciples but also help the numerous very poor people of their time. The way in which many widows become ammas is particularly fascinating for someone of my generation.There are also a great many interesting sidelights on how the desert ammas communicated with much better-known theologians such as Jerome, plus a good deal of interesting stories of how the ammas resisted persecution by anti-Christian forces in the first three centuries of Christianity.Swan, a Benedictine nun, also offers detailed, easy-to-read analyses of both the sayings of the desert ammas and what the ammas offer as an alternative to today's stressful, fast-paced life.All in all, this is an impressive book with very surprising information that will add a great deal to your knowledge of early Christianity or serve perfectly as a purely inspirational work (as with myself). ### ⭐⭐⭐ Good for some - not what I hoped *by E***A on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 13, 2022* This is a descriptive overview of a handful of women corresponding to a certain category of monastic/hermetical experience in which the role of an Amma was fairly clearly defined.The work relies primarily on secondary sources. It’s well written and informative, but didn’t dig as deeply as I’d hoped. I think it would be great for reading groups looking at larger issues of women’s spirituality; as far as diving deeper into a direct experience with text and interpretation, go straight to the incomparable Benedicta Ward. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/8262769-forgotten-desert-mothers-the-sayings-lives-and-stories-of-early](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/8262769-forgotten-desert-mothers-the-sayings-lives-and-stories-of-early) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-24*