On this day: Death of St. Thérèse

Gerelyn-
You know as much about Therese of Lisieux as anyone in the world.

"Story of a Soul," the memoir of St. Therese, has appeared in many different versions. In your excellent list of books about St. Therese, you mention "The Complete Therese of Lisieux" by Paraclete Press. Please note that the version of "Story of a Soul" included in it is a translation not of the authentic text written by St. Therese but, as the author acknowledges in his introduction, of a version edited by Therese's sister, Mother Agnes of Jesus. In composing a biography of Therese, Mother Agnes made seven thousand changes to Therese's text, and for almost sixty years Mother Agnes's version of "Story of a Soul" was the only one released by the Carmel. If you prefer an English translation of Therese's authentic manuscripts, which were released in French in 1956, read "Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux," translated from the critical edition by John Clarke, O.C.D. and published by ICS Publications. Also, a vital new source about St. Therese and her family is "A Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, 1863-1885," Alba House's new English translation of the letters of her parents, Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, edited by Dr. Frances Renda and translated by Ann Hess:

Maureen is completely correct that the respected translation by Fr. John Clarke was made from St. Thérèse's unedited, handwritten manuscripts.
The original book entitled "The Story of a Soul" consisted of the saint's words as edited by her sister, herself a Carmelite nun who served for a time as the prioress of the Carmel of Lisieux. For more than a century that book, translated into many languages, has touched the lives of countless millions of people throughout the world. No less an authority than Cardinal Pizzardo, secretary of the Congregation of the Consistory, wrote in 1956 to the Prioress of the Lisieux Carmel, "I am convinced that Mother Agnes was guided, not only by the authorized directives of the Congregation of Rites, but also by a clear inspiration from on high." When the edited book is compared to Thérèse's original words, it becomes clear that it is Thérèse who speaks in "The Story of a Soul," not Mother Agnes. As Thérèse's lifelong confidant, Mother Agnes understood her sister's heart better than any other person, and produced a work that has been described as accurate, simple, and clear.
"The Complete Thérèse of Lisieux" contains the complete text of my translation of the original edition of "The Story of a Soul"; in the introduction I explained at some length that the text used was the original, edited version that has blessed so many people. It is therefore accurate and in no way misleading to call that text a "complete and unabridged" translation of the original book.
In addition to "The Story of a Soul," in "The Complete Thérèse of Lisieux," I have added prayers, letters, and poems by St. Thérèse taken from the 1920 Carmelite edition of the book.
Those who are devoted to the Little Flower would do well to read Fr. Clarke's translation of the unedited manuscripts. I would also submit that readers would do well to read a complete translation of the original book that has touched so many lives, such as Paraclete Press's edition of my translation work.
- Robert J. Edmonson, translator and editor, "The Complete Thérèse of Lisieux"