One of the best-loved texts of Christianity after the Bible, this book has been influential since it was first written more than five centuries ago, with people such as John Wesley and John Newton profoundly touched by it at their conversions. Written by a German monk, it is essentially a manual on the pursuit of holiness and deep communion with God, with its key theme that the study of Jesus is the Christian’s highest ideal. With great personal conviction, Kempis demonstrates the individual’s reliance on God and on the words of Christ, and the futility of life without faith.