The Woman of the Pharisees

Mauriac demonstrates his masterful powers of observing humanity at its best and its worst. In this story he explores the dynamics of human love within the horizon of Christian faith. He creates characters which embody the ethic of Christian love both in its best form and at its worst incarnations. And in so doing, he gives us a glimpse into the glories and the agonies in risking to love in an authentic way. A great read. And a fine examine for any and all who are serious about Love.

Mauriac, winner of the 1952 Nobel Prize for Literature, is one of the great underrated writers of the 20th century. His highly emotional approach to writing has been criticized (unjustly, I beleive) as sentimentalist. But the suffering of his characters, their humanity and loveability even in the midst of their personal failings and darknesses, make Mauriac's world incredibly compelling. "Woman of the Pharisees" is, on its surface, the story of a cold and cruel woman viewed through the eyes of her own son, a child. In the name of Christian love, she destroys all she touches, whether a couple in love or a priest who is truly Christ-like. Yet in the end one begins to realize that the pharisee may not be her, but rather... (read and see). An agonizing, beautiful book, as are nearly all of his novels (with the exception of the horrific but still great "Genetrix"). I cannot recommend this work highly enough.