Desert Christians: An Introduction to the Literature of Early Monasticism author: William Harmless rating: asin: 0195162234 binding: Paperback list price: $37.50 USD amazon price: $29.13 USD

William Harmless provides an excellent and thorough survey of the desert fathers who founded monasticism in the fourth and fifth centuries in Egypt. He has an evident mastery of the language of the desert and the historical events that influenced the solitary communities therein. Any person interested in monasticism or Egypt's great heritage as the source of monasticism would be well advised to read this book.

However, there are some arguments and assumptions in the book that I personally do not accept. For example, Professor Harmless argues that "Life of Antony" was written as a fantastic tale by Saint Athanasius and that Saint Antony did not really establish monasticism. My own survey of the desert fathers leads me to completely opposite conclusions.

Apart from these areas, the work is an invaluable reference for facts and texts concerning the Egyptian desert fathers.