Product Description

This biography draws upon many testimonies and archival sources that have never previously been published. Therese Taylor explains who Bernadette Soubirous was, and how she lived and died but takes no position on whether or not the visions were genuine. This story begins in Bernadette's native country of the Pyrenees, a mountain region haunted by tales of fairies, witches and miraculous groves and springs. It follows Bernadette's astonishing life story, from her family circle, to her years of fame, to her retirement at the convent of St Gildard at Nevers. Her difficult relationships with the historians of Lourdes and her lengthy terminal illness are also considered. This biography places Bernadette in the context of her time. She was born into a volatile family and her parent's lives were blighted by economic failure and alcoholism. At the age of 14, Bernadette was an illiterate child-servant, who suddenly experienced a series of visions of a White Lady in the Grotto of Massabielle. Townspeople, government officials, clergy and journalists were all drawn in, and sought out Bernadette in order to assess her story. A chain of events was set off which made her one of the most famous women in France. Bernadette has to be understood not only in religious terms, but also with reference to themes such as tourism, commercialism, mass-representation and the exploitation of female celebrities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1106464 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-10
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

Well researched
This book is very well researched.

The history of Bernadette and her visions is handled without bias or sentimentalism but with sensitivity for the subject matter. This is a scholarly work rather than a romanticised view of Bernadette. I enjoyed reading this book and can recommend it to others.

Book on Bernadette of Lourdes
Excellent book on the life of Saint Bernadette. The writer did a great job of also providing a good historical background of the haute pyranee during the time.Highly recommended to all Roman CatholicsBernadette of Lourdes: Her Life, Death and Visions

Bernadette of Lourdes
A very scholarly work which gives a very detailed account of all the facts and circumstances at the level of a professional historian. This is the 150th anniversary edition and in my view is the definitive work to buy, if you intend to buy only one book on the subject - highly recommended. I must also admit, with some amazement, that St Bernadette was surprisingly good-looking, although I cannot explain why I find her film star good-looks such a shock. I must also say that the associated film starring Jennifer Jones "The Song of Bernadette" is well worth a look. She won an oscar for her DEBUT screen role. See the film and you will understand why she earned this astounding recognition, and I am not ashmamed to admit that at the end of the film, a tear trickled down my cheek - for the first time in 25 years.