The Radiance of Real Holiness

A number of readers have thanked me for recommending Allen Levi’s Theo of Golden—my favorite read last year. Many have commented on the novel’s beautiful characterizations, its vivid descriptions, and the compelling nature of its central figure. I’m delighted others are encountering this remarkable story and grappling with the implicit challenge of a saintly old man whose life radiates love and attention.In pondering the many lessons from Levi’s novel, I’ve been thinking more carefully about how