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Primary sourceBook1898

The Story of a Soul

Thérèse of Lisieux · 1898

Thérèse of Lisieux's spiritual autobiography, edited by her sister Pauline and published in 1898, which made her 'Little Way' famous worldwide.

This is her own spiritual memoir, edited by her sister, and the main source for her teaching and life.

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Front cover of a French book titled 'Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant-Jésus' in ornate Art Nouveau style with floral borders, a star at top, an oval illustration of saints and an angel, a quotation, and Latin motto banners at the bottom.
Cover of a later edition of Thérèse of Lisieux's Histoire d'une âme, Office central de Lisieux, 1937/1940 printing.

About this source

What it is

This is the spiritual autobiography of Thérèse of Lisieux, a Carmelite nun who died in 1897. It was compiled from her own writings and edited by her sister Pauline, known in religion as Mother Agnes of Jesus, and published in 1898 as Histoire d'une âme.

Why it matters

The book set out Thérèse's 'Little Way', the idea that holiness could be found through small, humble acts of love rather than great deeds. Its publication turned an obscure young nun who had died unknown outside her convent into one of the most read Catholic writers of modern times. The role of her sister as editor shows how Thérèse's public image was shaped by family hands after her death.

Look closer

  • Why might a family member rather than Thérèse herself have shaped the final book?
  • What does the popularity of this book tell us about what readers were looking for?
  • What might be left out when an autobiography is edited by someone else?

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Primary source

Act of Oblation to Merciful Love

Thérèse of Lisieux · 9 June 1895

Black and white photograph of a young woman in a dark religious veil and white collar, with a calm, slight smile, looking toward the camera. Her face fills most of the frame.Photograph

Primary source

Portrait of Thérèse of Lisieux

15 April 1895

Black and white photograph of a young woman in a pale armored-style bodice and dark fleur-de-lis-decorated skirt, holding a sword, standing beside a banner pole in front of a brick wall and ivy, with a shield bearing fleurs-de-lis and a wreath at her feet.Photograph

Primary source

Photograph of Thérèse as Joan of Arc

Céline Martin (Sister Geneviève) · 1895

Photograph of a book cover with a marbled brown and tan speckled paper binding and a beige cloth spine, with blue flecks. A small library credit in the lower right reads Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France. The cover appears worn at the edges.Book

Primary source

Histoire d'une âme, first edition (1898)

Thérèse of Lisieux, ed. Pauline Martin (Mother Agnes of Jesus) · 30 September 1898

Black-and-white photograph of a group of nuns in white wimples and dark habits washing laundry at a stone washing trough beside dark water. Several women kneel or lean over the edge, and one in the foreground scrubs cloth.Photograph

Primary source

Nuns in wash days at le carmel

Unknown

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