Which is better? Butler's Lives of the Saints or Butler's The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints?

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I was reading a boook by Thomas Dubay and I noticed one of his references was from Butler’s Lives of the Saints.

So I decided to look for it on Amazon.

The first listing I found was this four-volume paperback edition called “Butler’s Lives of the Saints”. It must be massive because Amazon sells it new for almost $70.

Oh sacrifice!

I briefly (very briefly) thought about getitng it until I saw this review:
Little of Alban Butler’s work survives in this revised edition–if the reader wants to have access to Butler’s own words, with all his wonderful moral judgments, this is not the edition to consult. That said, Thurston and Attwater have done an exhaustive job of updating Butler’s original work, including the addition of bibliographical references (mostly referring to foreign-language works) and attempting to sort through the historical inaccuracies that necessarily plague any study of the saints. As they admit, however, this is not meant to be a scholarly reference work.This collection includes more saints than any other I have seen, so it is a very useful and interesting work in itself. While Butler’s wonderful 18th-century prose, so unfamiliar and even harsh to our modern ears, has been taken out in this revision, the result is not always easy to read. Some of the language is clumsy and poorly-constructed, but one gets used to it and it is not a major fault. In addition, the binding is not of the highest quality. The biggest failing of this edition–which is not the fault of the revisers, of course–is that many of the feast days of particular saints have been changed since the Second Vatican Council. An updated edition that takes this into account would be welcome, but all in all this is a useful collection
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It is whispered that the proper book to read is the original "The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints ", which I promptly downloaded onto my Kindle for free. If I like it, I will look for a paperback version for reference.

Is anyone familiar with any of these versions?

What do you think of them?
 
I’ve read parts of Butler. I would not say his prose was any spectacular model of the English art (see Addison, about 50 years earlier, for that), especially as it bears many of the hallmarks of being a translation, which I think a great part of it is, but it is perfectly readable.
 
While I do enjoy Butler’s book, I find that too many entries leave you wanting more. It is fine for brief biographies that often introduce you to many people that you otherwise would not have known about but it does not go into much depth generally. Still, I do enjoy it because it is easy to just pick up and start reading.
 
Mark and Timothy, which one of the books are you referring to? Someone mentioned that the “Life of the Saints” was more of an abridged version.

I just started “The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints” and the section on Saint Fulgentius is pretty detailed.
 
From memory, I think it is simply called Butler’s Lives of the Saints. This may be an abridged version of a much larger work that you seem to have…I dunno. :confused:
 
I would buy it for the pictures alone. Something to keep on the coffee table.
 
TrueLight said:
Mark and Timothy, which one of the books are you referring to? Someone mentioned that the “Life of the Saints” was more of an abridged version.

I just started “The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints” and the section on Saint Fulgentius is pretty detailed.
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Yeah, I don’t remember, but I’m sure it wasn’t the twelve-volume original. I think it’s generally read in various abridged and selected editions. This was a while ago.
 
I bought my “Lives” on ebay for $30 plus a little shipping. I really like it.
 
corsair said:
I bought my “Lives” on ebay for $30 plus a little shipping. I really like it.
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I really do need to buy more from ebay. I just don’t have a lot of patience for auctions.

Has the books really helped you to learn about the Saints, and has that in turn helped your spiritual life?
MarkThompson said:
Yeah, I don’t remember, but I’m sure it wasn’t the twelve-volume original. I think it’s generally read in various abridged and selected editions. This was a while ago.
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I don’t know if this is in the shorter versions, but the one I’m reading spends a whole lot of time speaking of the Author’s life in an effort to show why he is a good and reliable resource as a compiler of the lives of the Saints.
 
It is my experience that the more modern versions of Thurston and Attwater have a bias towards modernism.

This is a reliable version.
St. Bonaventure Publications
PO Box 2750
Great Falls, MT 59403-2750
Phone 406 452-5452 Fax 406 452-9752
E-mail info@libers.com
.

There is also a 4 volume set from Virtue and Company LTD. which is also a reliable set which is older.

Sarto books also put out a totally reliable set in a two-volume set.

You must realize that these individual publishers and printers have a particular persuasion. They may be influenced by, modernism, a sedevacantist view or Society of Saint Pius the Tenth view. The traditionalist printers and publishers are reliable irrespective of their persuasion.

Now there is always the cost factor. Searching on Amazon may result in you buying a good copy for a cheaper price. However when I want a very reliable source I go to the publishers or printers web sites such as the ones mentioned above which although expensive are worth the money.
 
“Lives of the Saints” has stimulated an interest in finding and buying books on individual Saints. We usually purchase these for each other as birthday presents, Christmas presents, etc.

Just finished “The Hidden Life” the collected works of Edith Stein. An amazing life.
 
I have an abridged version of Butlers Saints and want to get the complete 4 volume one. In the one I have I like his work/writings.

I also want to check out Dr. Clark (EWTN) China’s Saints
 
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