By the fourth century A.D., devout Christians -- men and women alike -- had begun to retreat from cities and villages to the deserts of North Africa and Asia Minor, where they sought liberation from their corrupt society and the confining shell of the social self. "The Desert Fathers" is the perfect introduction to the stories and sayings of these heroic pioneers of the contemplative tradition. Selected and translated by Helen Waddell, "The Desert Fathers" opens a window onto early Christianity while presenting us with touching human models of faith, humility, and compassion.