Reviews
Advance praise for An Unquenchable Thirst "Readers . . . will find themselves transported into another world by this powerful, revealing memoir. An aspirant to the Missionaries of Charity at age 19, the author spent 20 years living a life both extraordinarily simple and heart-wrenchingly complex. Johnson skillfully demonstrates this juxtaposition through her writing-mundane events, such as gathering eggs or learning to play the piano, often have tragic or miraculous implications. . . . [Johnson's] memoir is exceptional."- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Johnson brings readers close to her story, showing her triumphs and temptations, limning characters as compelling as those in any novel. . . . Her mesmerizing account of trying to orbit the sun that was Mother Teresa vividly captures a life in turmoil." -Booklist (starred review) "Eloquent and moving . . . an extraordinary testament to the enduring power of love-beyond faith and dogma. It reminds us of why we are here: to love and live fully, to be curious about all things, and to live a compassionate-and passionate-authentic life."-Mira Bart k, author of The Memory Palace "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a person who comes to see that preferring the human to the perfect does not alienate her from authentic spirituality, but allows her to live more fully."-Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk "Opening up the soul's deep core onto the page is always an act of bravery. Mary Johnson is brave writ large. She writes expertly about the myths and misperceptions of women's religious vocations and the sacred validity of human intimacy."-Breena Clarke, author of Stand the Storm, Advance praise for An Unquenchable Thirst "Readers . . . will find themselves transported into another world by this powerful, revealing memoir. An aspirant to the Missionaries of Charity at age nineteen, the author spent twenty years living a life both extraordinarily simple and heart-wrenchingly complex. Johnson skillfully demonstrates this juxtaposition through her writing-mundane events, such as gathering eggs or learning to play the piano, often have tragic or miraculous implications. . . . Throughout the book, the author describes her interactions with Mother Teresa, [who] actually emerges as a fairly normal person rather than a saintly archetype. . . . [Johnson's] memoir is exceptional." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Mary Johnson's eloquent and moving tale is an extraordinary testament to the enduring power of love-beyond faith and dogma. It reminds us of why we are here-to love and live fully, to be curious about all things, and to live a compassionate-and passionate-authentic life."-Mira Bart k, author of The Memory Palace "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a person who comes to see that preferring the human to the perfect does not alienate her from authentic spirituality, but allows her to live more fully."-Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk "Opening up the soul's deep core on the page is always an act of bravery. Mary Johnson is brave writ large-very large, very courageously, very simply, very gently, very intellectually, and very wholly. She writes expertly about the myths and misperceptions of women's religious vocations and the sacred validity of human intimacy."-Breena Clarke, author of Stand the Storm, Advance praise for An Unquenchable Thirst "Readers . . . will find themselves transported into another world by this powerful, revealing memoir. An aspirant to the Missionaries of Charity at age nineteen, the author spent twenty years living a life both extraordinarily simple and heart-wrenchingly complex. Johnson skillfully demonstrates this juxtaposition through her writing-mundane events, such as gathering eggs or learning to play the piano, often have tragic or miraculous implications. . . . [Johnson's] memoir is exceptional."- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Johnson brings readers close to her story, showing her triumphs and temptations, limning characters as compelling as those in any novel. . . . Her mesmerizing account of trying to orbit the sun that was Mother Teresa vividly captures a life in turmoil." -Booklist (starred review) "Eloquent and moving . . . an extraordinary testament to the enduring power of love-beyond faith and dogma. It reminds us of why we are here: to love and live fully, to be curious about all things, and to live a compassionate-and passionate-authentic life."-Mira Bartók, author of The Memory Palace "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a person who comes to see that preferring the human to the perfect does not alienate her from authentic spirituality but allows her to live more fully."-Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk "Opening up the soul's deep core on the page is always an act of bravery. Mary Johnson is bravery writ large. She writes expertly about the myths and misperceptions of women's religious vocations and the sacred validity of human intimacy."-Breena Clarke, author of Stand the Storm From the Hardcover edition., "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a woman who comes to see that preferring 'the human to the perfect' does not alienate her from authentic spirituality but allows her to live more fully."-Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk, "A candid, generous, and profound spiritual memoir that deserves a great deal of thoughtful discussion."--Anne Rice "A wonderful achievement . . . Johnson opens the window on a horizon of spiritual questions [and] takes an unflinching look inside her own heart."-- The Christian Science Monitor "An incredible coming-of-age story . . . [It] has everything a memoir needs: an inside look at a way of life that most of us will never see, a physical and emotional journey, and suspense."--Slate "Reads like a novel . . . an exacting account of a woman growing into her own soul."-- More magazine "Engaging, heartfelt and entertaining . . . [Johnson] articulates her struggles with her God in words that will hit home."-- Los Angeles Times "An inspiration that transcends any particular religious belief . . . An Unquenchable Thirst is a journey that captivates, but its resonance lies in the life examined."-- The Denver Post "Readers . . . will find themselves transported into another world by this powerful, revealing memoir. An aspirant to the Missionaries of Charity at age nineteen, the author spent twenty years living a life both extraordinarily simple and heart-wrenchingly complex. Johnson skillfully demonstrates this juxtaposition through her writing--mundane events, such as gathering eggs or learning to play the piano, often have tragic or miraculous implications. . . . [Johnson's] memoir is exceptional."-- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Johnson brings readers close to her story, showing her triumphs and temptations, limning characters as compelling as those in any novel. . . . Her mesmerizing account of trying to orbit the sun that was Mother Teresa vividly captures a life in turmoil." --Booklist (starred review) "Eloquent and moving . . . an extraordinary testament to the enduring power of love--beyond faith and dogma. It reminds us of why we are here: to love and live fully, to be curious about all things, and to live a compassionate--and passionate--authentic life."--Mira Bartók, author of The Memory Palace "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a person who comes to see that preferring the human to the perfect does not alienate her from authentic spirituality but allows her to live more fully."--Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk "Opening up the soul's deep core on the page is always an act of bravery. Mary Johnson is bravery writ large. She writes expertly about the myths and misperceptions of women's religious vocations and the sacred validity of human intimacy."--Breena Clarke, author of Stand the Storm, "A candid, generous, and profound spiritual memoir that deserves a great deal of thoughtful discussion."-Anne Rice "A wonderful achievement . . . Johnson opens the window on a horizon of spiritual questions [and] takes an unflinching look inside her own heart."- The Christian Science Monitor "An incredible coming-of-age story . . . [It] has everything a memoir needs: an inside look at a way of life that most of us will never see, a physical and emotional journey, and suspense."-Slate "Reads like a novel . . . an exacting account of a woman growing into her own soul."- More magazine "Engaging, heartfelt and entertaining . . . [Johnson] articulates her struggles with her God in words that will hit home."- Los Angeles Times "An inspiration that transcends any particular religious belief . . . An Unquenchable Thirst is a journey that captivates, but its resonance lies in the life examined."- The Denver Post "Readers . . . will find themselves transported into another world by this powerful, revealing memoir. An aspirant to the Missionaries of Charity at age nineteen, the author spent twenty years living a life both extraordinarily simple and heart-wrenchingly complex. Johnson skillfully demonstrates this juxtaposition through her writing-mundane events, such as gathering eggs or learning to play the piano, often have tragic or miraculous implications. . . . [Johnson's] memoir is exceptional."- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Johnson brings readers close to her story, showing her triumphs and temptations, limning characters as compelling as those in any novel. . . . Her mesmerizing account of trying to orbit the sun that was Mother Teresa vividly captures a life in turmoil." -Booklist (starred review) "Eloquent and moving . . . an extraordinary testament to the enduring power of love-beyond faith and dogma. It reminds us of why we are here: to love and live fully, to be curious about all things, and to live a compassionate-and passionate-authentic life."-Mira Bartók, author of The Memory Palace "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a person who comes to see that preferring the human to the perfect does not alienate her from authentic spirituality but allows her to live more fully."-Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk "Opening up the soul's deep core on the page is always an act of bravery. Mary Johnson is bravery writ large. She writes expertly about the myths and misperceptions of women's religious vocations and the sacred validity of human intimacy."-Breena Clarke, author of Stand the Storm From the Hardcover edition., Advance praise for An Unquenchable Thirst "Readers . . . will find themselves transported into another world by this powerful, revealing memoir. An aspirant to the Missionaries of Charity at age nineteen, the author spent twenty years living a life both extraordinarily simple and heart-wrenchingly complex. Johnson skillfully demonstrates this juxtaposition through her writing-mundane events, such as gathering eggs or learning to play the piano, often have tragic or miraculous implications. . . . [Johnson's] memoir is exceptional."- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Johnson brings readers close to her story, showing her triumphs and temptations, limning characters as compelling as those in any novel. . . . Her mesmerizing account of trying to orbit the sun that was Mother Teresa vividly captures a life in turmoil." -Booklist (starred review) "Eloquent and moving . . . an extraordinary testament to the enduring power of love-beyond faith and dogma. It reminds us of why we are here: to love and live fully, to be curious about all things, and to live a compassionate-and passionate-authentic life."-Mira Bart k, author of The Memory Palace "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a person who comes to see that preferring the human to the perfect does not alienate her from authentic spirituality but allows her to live more fully."-Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk "Opening up the soul's deep core on the page is always an act of bravery. Mary Johnson is bravery writ large. She writes expertly about the myths and misperceptions of women's religious vocations and the sacred validity of human intimacy."-Breena Clarke, author of Stand the Storm, Advance Praise for Mary Johnson's AN UNQUNCHABLE THIRST " An Unquenchable Thirst offers a rare and intimate glimpse inside the mysterious and austere world of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. Former nun Mary Johnson's eloquent and moving tale is an extraordinary testament to the enduring power of love-beyond faith and dogma. It reminds us of why we are here-to love and live fully, to be curious about all things, and to live a compassionate-and passionate-authentic life."- Mira Bartok , author of The Memory Palace "A heartfelt, personal story of the gradual awakening of a person who comes to see that preferring 'the human to the perfect' does not alienate her from authentic spirituality, but allows her to live more fully." Kathleen Norris , author of The Cloister Walk "To say that An Unquenchable Thirst , Mary Johnson's wonderful exploration of her life with Mother Theresa and the Missionaries of Charity, is a courageous book is to say little. Opening up the soul's deep core onto the page is always an act of bravery. Mary Johnson is brave writ large -- very large and very courageously and very simply and very gently and very intellectually and very wholly. She writes expertly about the myths and misperceptions of women's religious vocations and the sacred validity of human intimacy."- Breena Clarke , author of Stand the Storm
