March Classic of the Month: Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History

Today is Saint Patrick's Day and in honor of this Christian holiday we at Cosimo are celebrating by reading our classic of the month: Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History by J.B. Bury.

This renowned biography of the great Catholic saint, famous for converting Ireland to Christianity, is also a stunningly vivid portrait of life in the British Isles in the fifth century. Born in Britain as a Roman citizen and kidnapped by raiders to Ireland as a teenager, where he remained to do his holy work, Patrick's life encapsulates the themes of the era, as the new religion won out of paganism as the Roman Empire fell. Almost as valuable as the biography itself are Bury's complex appendices, which comprise more than half the book, and include such important scholarly details as the author's notes on Patrick's own writings, the memoirs of the saint by other writers including Tírechán and Muirchu, an examination of other Irish source materials, and a look at the historical evidence for such events as the dates of Patrick's birth and captivity, his possible visit to Rome in 432, his consecration, the location of his burial, and much more.
About the Author:
British historian John Bagnell Bury (1861-1927) was professor of modern history at Cambridge. His writings, known for a readability combined with a scholarly depth, include History of the Later Roman Empire (1889), History of Greece (1900), and Idea of Progress (1920). 

Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History is available on Amazon (hardcover and paperback), at Barnes & Noble (hardcover and paperback), and at your favorite bookstores.

March Series of the Month: The Catholic Church in New York

In celebration of Easter this month, Cosimo is celebrating with The Catholic Church in New York by John Talbot Smith and Joseph F. Mooney as our Series of the Month for March.

First published in 1905 and written as an official chronology of the Diocese of New York—then one of the powerhouse regions of the Catholic Church in America, as the Archdiocese of New York is today—this two-volume work remains an important document of the Church.

Useful in both the historical and cultural dimensions, this highly readable but powerfully written account reveals the prejudices and partialities of the time as filtered through the viewpoint of one of its most influential institutions.

Volume I explores:
• the first Catholics in the State of New York
• the early years of the organization in the state
• the first bishop and early administration
• anti-Catholicism and the Knownothing Party
• the growth of the parishes
• politics and Catholicism
• and much more!

Volume II explores:
• the Church's education and charity systems
• religious communities including the Jesuits
• Church legislation
• relations with the Holy See
• the progress of the clergy
• the character of the laity
• the Catholic press
• and much more!

Cosimo offers this Classic series by individual volume at various online bookstores or as a full set in paperback.

The paperback retail list price: $29.98, but now: our price: $24.99 (you save $4.99 or a 20 percent discount)

March Classic of the Month: Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History

Today is Saint Patrick’s Day, a day that has become associated with leprechauns, beer, and corned beef. However, this day is really a celebration of Saint Patrick who was responsible for bringing Christianity to Ireland. His technique of using the Shamrock to describe the Holy Trinity is well-known and one of the reasons he was chosen as the Patron Saint of Ireland. We are honored to present Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History by J.B. Bury as our Classic of the Month for March.

This renowned biography of the great Catholic saint, famous for converting Ireland to Christianity, is also a stunningly vivid portrait of life in the British Isles in the fifth century. Born in Britain as a Roman citizen and kidnapped by raiders to Ireland as a teenager, where he remained to do his holy work, Patrick's life encapsulates the themes of the era, as the new religion won out of paganism as the Roman Empire fell.

Almost as valuable as the biography itself are Bury's complex appendices, which comprise more than half the book, and include such important scholarly details as the author's notes on Patrick's own writings, the memoirs of the saint by other writers including Muirchu, an examination of other Irish source materials, and a look at the historical evidence for such events as the dates of Patrick's birth and captivity, his possible visit to Rome in 432, his consecration, the location of his burial, and much more.

About the Author

British historian John Bagnell Bury (1861-1927) was a professor of modern history at Cambridge. His writings, known for a readability combined with a scholarly depth, include History of the Later Roman Empire (1889), History of Greece (1900), and Idea of Progress (1920).

                                                                                                                                                       Cosimo is proud to offer Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History in hardcover and paperback formats at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble (paperback and hardcover) and Amazon (paperback and hardcover).

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from all of us at Cosimo!