A Feast for Hungry Souls: Spiritual Lessons from the Church's Greatest Masters and Mystics

This was an extremely disappointing and frustration book. The title sounds great, and I love and treasure many of the spiritual masters and mystics the author, Susan Muto, reviews in this book. But Muto's brief summary of each of the 30 spiritual masters and mystics is very superficial, extremely partial, and worst of all, biased and subjective. Muto presents her own extremely conservative, dogmatic, and doctrinaire perspective in every one of the chapters. The chapters are short, so they obviously cannot provide comprehensive coverage of each master's teachings. That is fully understandable. But what Muto decides to present are the teachings that are in full conformance with the most conservative elements of the Catholic Church's teachings. She almost completely neglects to even mention the aspects of the teachings that are not in conformance with official Church doctrine. Muto is also totally uncritical of Church doctrine, dogma, and practice. So this is an overview that will be perfect for the most Conservative of Christians but very unsatisfying, incomplete, and biased for more progressive Christians, and almost certainly for anyone who would consider themselves a mystic or interested in the mystic aspects of spirituality. I have been so very inspired by the writings of Richard Rohr, Ronald Rohlheiser, J. Philip Newell, Belden Lane, Thomas Merton, and Barbara Brown Taylor. This book by Muto is the least inspiring spiritual book I have ever read.

Simply wonderful. Muto’s latest work is a masterpiece. In each chapter, Muto introduces readers to a saint or theologian and teaches about their charisms, contribution to theological thought, and devotion to Jesus. This volume is a sweeping survey of Christian thought and devotion, beginning with the desert fathers, and finishing with Thomas Merton. I love that Muto included non-Catholics and their contribution to Christian thought and service, including John Wesley and modern martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Each chapter is certain to whet the reader’s appetite to learn more, so I love that Muto included a section for further reading at the end of each chapter. Read linearly or by jumping between chapters, this is a wonderful volume for students, budding theologians, and anyone who would like a survey or handy reference of Christian thought.

Dr. Susan Muto has read and thus lived with the spiritual giants of 2000 years of Christianity for many years. But best of all, she has loved and lived with God. Her book truly is a feast as she leads us to encounter thirty of these historical “masters.” Come and see what great truths and experiences captured and then transformed these masters into lovers of God and humanity. Discover that particular aspect of the “mystery” which God revealed to each of them. The Holy Spirit, through Dr. Muto has prepared the feast. Come, and be filled!

Love this book. Great way to learn about the great doctors and mystics of the church along with practical application of their ideas and philosophy. You can read it in small doses which allows for increased comprehension and application. This book is extremely well written and Munro is able to communicate very complex ideas in a manner that is completely understandable to the average person.

A delight for my weekly spiritual reading group.

Excellent book with a "taste" of different writers.

Recently, I had the opportunity to read the book A Feast for Hungry Souls: Spiritual Lessons from the Church's Greatest Masters and Mystics. After introducing the importance of learning from those who have gone before u s, Susan Muto takes on the gargantuan task of introducing readers to 30 different spiritual giants who have impacted Christian spirituality. She divides the books into several parts focusing on Ancient Masters, Medieval Masters, and Modern Masters. Most, but not all, of those included are Catholic and are frequently saints. However, John Wesley and Dietrich Bonhoeffer are also included.In each chapter Muto skillfully provides brief biographical and historical information regarding the master being discussed. Drawing from their own writing, she emphasizes what they contributed to Christian spirituality. Each chapter concludes with several reflection questions focused on how the reader plans to engage further with the content as well as additional suggested readings. A Feast for Hungry Souls can be used in numerous settings. For individuals who are not very familiar with the saints listed or who are looking for an introduction to them, this book is perfect. In fact, I would encourage readers to consider using this book as a springboard to then read the writings of each master profiled. Because Muto makes sure to include historical information in addition to spiritual, this work would serve marvelously as a companion text in a church history class or in course focusing on the history of Christian spirituality. This book truly is a feast for those who will take the time to thoughtfully work through the contents. I anticipate pulling this book off the shelf frequently.I received a complementary copy from Ave Maria Press via Net Galley. I was not required to provide a positive review.

I loved every single page of this book! I discovered a love for the saints as I was going through RCIA, and that fascination has only grown the longer I live out my Catholic faith. There is a massive comfort to be found in the saints, so I couldn't wait to read 'A Feast for Hungry Souls.' What an amazing book!Each chapter is packed full of information, so I took the book in bits and pieces. I would read through until I found something that really hit me (which was like, every other paragraph), then would sit with it for awhile, giving myself time to really pull-apart what I'd read. I find, now that I have finished the book, that I actually want to keep it as part of my daily study/prayer time. 'A Feast for Hungry Souls' could be used as a book to read from beginning to end, something to reach for when in need of friendship or solace, or even as a daily devotional. Such a wonderful book and a definite recommend.