{"product_id":"saints-a-very-short-introduction-9780199676514","title":"Saints: A Very Short Introduction","description":"The idea of saints and sainthood are familiar to all, irrelevant of religious faith. In this \u003cem\u003eVery Short Introduction\u003c\/em\u003e, Simon Yarrow looks at the origins, ideas, and definitions of sainthood, sanctity, and saints in the early Church, tracing their development in history and explaining the social roles saints played in the ancient, medieval, and modern worlds. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAlong the way, Yarrow considers the treatment of saints as objects of literary and artistic expression and interpretation, and as examples of idealized male and female heroism, and compares Christian saints and holy figures to venerated figures in other religious cultures, including Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. He concludes by considering the experiences of devotees to saints, and looking at how saints continue to be a powerful presence in our modern world. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABOUT THE SERIES: \u003c\/strong\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eVery Short Introductions\u003c\/em\u003e series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimon Yarrow\u003c\/strong\u003e was Past and Present Research Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research, London, and worked at St. Mary's University College, Birkbeck College, and the University of Liverpool, before taking up a Lectureship at the University of Birmingham in 2004. From 2011-13 he spent two years as Visiting Fellow at the University of Connecticut Humanities Institute. He is the author of \u003cem\u003eSaints and Their Communities: Miracle Stories in Twelfth Century England\u003c\/em\u003e (OUP, 2006).\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Oxford University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50923925471506,"sku":"9780199676514","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_d254152f-d460-45c1-8c54-476efdec453e.jpg?v=1738965242","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/saints-a-very-short-introduction-9780199676514","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}