The Journal of Raïssa Maritain

The Journal of Raïssa Maritain, composed of the sundry diaries, notes, and fragments of Raïssa Maritain’s substantial bibliography, tells the story of a soul in love with God. Compiled by her husband Jacques, these writings bear witness to the depth of Raïssa’s spiritual experiences, the warmth of her embrace for the contemplative life and silent prayer, the sweeping expanse of her intellectual powers, the sheer breadth of her sufferings, and, above all else, her willingness to undergo the “martyrdom of the heart,” offering to God a total gift of self. For readers already familiar with Raïssa Maritain, especially through her poetry, the Journal is an occasion to remember with renewed vigor truths already known; for the new reader, it is an illuminating introduction to one of the great mystics of the twentieth century.