Best Biography of Thomas Aquinas

[Charlemagne_III]

Eureka!

I haven’t finished the biography yet (am halfway through) but this must be by far the best biography of Aquinas ever written. The Life and Labours of St. Thomas of Aquin.
Starts with the circumstances of his birth and carries through in fascinating and colorful detail all the major episodes of his life. Along the way, we learn a great deal about the 13th century as the pivotal century between ancient and modern times. Albert the Great, Bonaventure, and the clash between Aquinas (defending the Dominicans and the Franciscans) and William of St. Amour (attacking the mendicant friars) are well documented. This is a must read.

I can hardly believe it was first published in 1873 or so by an English priest that I had never heard of; one Roger Bede Vaughan, who later was made Archbishop. He spent ten years on the research and writing of this monumental book. It is available through Amazon, if anybody is interested.

One reservation only: the book does not go into a great deal of detail regarding the complex issues explored by Aquinas in his Summa Theologica. But it does include summations of some of his less well known writings.

amazon.com/Life-Labours-Saint-Thomas-Aquin/dp/1313774456/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393204242&sr=8-1&keywords=roger+bede+vaughan

Has anyone else here read it or heard of it? What say you?

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Eureka!

I haven’t finished the biography yet (am halfway through) but this must be by far the best biography of Aquinas ever written. The Life and Labours of St. Thomas of Aquin.
Starts with the circumstances of his birth and carries through in fascinating and colorful detail all the major episodes of his life. Along the way, we learn a great deal about the 13th century as the pivotal century between ancient and modern times. Albert the Great, Bonaventure, and the clash between Aquinas (defending the Dominicans and the Franciscans) and William of St. Amour (attacking the mendicant friars) are well documented. This is a must read.

I can hardly believe it was first published in 1873 or so by an English priest that I had never heard of; one Roger Bede Vaughan, who later was made Archbishop. He spent ten years on the research and writing of this monumental book. It is available through Amazon, if anybody is interested.

One reservation only: the book does not go into a great deal of detail regarding the complex issues explored by Aquinas in his Summa Theologica. But it does include summations of some of his less well known writings.

amazon.com/Life-Labours-Saint-Thomas-Aquin/dp/1313774456/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393204242&sr=8-1&keywords=roger+bede+vaughan

Has anyone else here read it or heard of it? What say you?

Just hoping this thread stays alive a little longer in case somebody is interested in reading this book.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

This confirms what I suspected. Lots of people are interested in the best biography of Aquinas, but hardly anyone here is aware of its existence.

Hope somebody will take a chance and get it.

 

[balto]

This confirms what I suspected. Lots of people are interested in the best biography of Aquinas, but hardly anyone here is aware of its existence.

Hope somebody will take a chance and get it.

Sorry, I meant to respond to your thread a couple of days ago and then got sidetracked and forgot. I’ve been spending a lot of time reading the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, who is quickly becoming my favorite saint , but I don’t really know much of anything about what he was like as a person except for little tidbits that Prof. Feser likes to throw out every once and a while.

It’s interesting that it was published in the 19th century. Maybe there was more of an interest in Aquinas back then. It’s a shame that more people today don’t know more about Aquinas due to the richness and depth of his works. Even priests and bishops don’t seem to know much about him.

I’ll definitely take a look. The only issue is that Father scolded us for not having read the Catechism at Latin Mass last week so take a guess about what’s on the reading list for Lent . I would like to spend time reading something that is not technical for once at some point though, so this sounds like the perfect fit for that. Thank you for sharing .

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Thank you for your comments.

This web page offers many different idealized portraits of Aquinas. There is no official portrait.

images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0SO8ocauwxTizcAdz9XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0NGZucHFsBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDMwMV8x?_adv_prop=image&fr=yfp-t-901&va=thomas+aquinas

A description of the saint as he appeared in life is given by Calo, who says that his features corresponded with the greatness of his soul. He was of lofty stature and of heavy build, but straight and well proportioned. His complexion was “like the color of new wheat”: his head was large and well shaped, and he was slightly bald. All portraits represent him as noble, meditative, gentle yet strong.

Aquinas quotes: the first quote is from the period when he stopped writing because he knew he was dying.

Thee have I preached; Thee have I taught. Never have I said anything against Thee. If anything was not well said, that is to be attributed to my ignorance. Neither do I wish to be obstinate in my opinions, but if I have written anything erroneous … I submit all to the judgment and correction of the Holy Roman Church, in whose obedience I now pass from this life.

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.

Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.

Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures.

Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.

If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.

A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational.

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.

Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.

How can we live in harmony? First we need to know we are all madly in love with the same God.

The things that we love tell us what we are.

To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin.

Clearly the person who accepts the Church as an infallible guide will believe whatever the Church teaches.