In his classic Second Book of Dialogues, Pope Gregory the Great lionizes Saint Benedict as hero and casts him predominantly in the role of miracle worker. Yet in his Rule, Benedict comes across more as a practical community organizer and premier spiritual father. In this volume, Terrence Kardong offers a fresh take on Gregory the Great's classic. He alternates between translated sections of the Dialogues and his own commentary. Crisp and direct, and infused with his wry and ever-present sense of humor, Kardong's writing is sure to build up the spiritual life of readers and, equally important, to make them love St. Benedict.

Terrence G. Kardong, OSB, (1936–2019), was a monk of Assumption Abbey, Richardton, North Dakota. He served as the editor of The American Benedictine Review, and was the author of many books and articles. .