One of the best-loved books of Christianity after the Bible, now in a new translation  A passionate celebration of God and his love, mercy, and holiness, The Imitation of Christ has inspired conversion and stimulated religious devotion for more than five hundred years. With great personal conviction, the medieval monk Thomas à Kempis demonstrates the individual?s reliance on God and on the words of Christ, and the futility of life without faith. Thomas spent some seventy years of his life in the reclusive environment of monasteries, yet in this astonishing work he demonstrates an encompassing understanding of human nature, and his writing speaks to readers of every age and every nationality. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.