Edith Stein and Roman Ingarden, both students of Edmund Husserl, maintained an extensive correspondence from 1917 to 1938, comprising 162 letters, most published here for the first time. Their friendship, which spanned their adult lives, is illuminated through Stein's letters, chronicling her journey from student days to her conversion from Judaism to Catholicism, her professional life, and her choice to become a Carmelite nun in Cologne, adopting the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. The correspondence concludes in 1938, as the Nazi threat escalated in Eastern Europe, complicating communication across borders. Four years later, Stein was arrested by the Nazi SS in the Netherlands, transported to Auschwitz, and killed in the gas chambers, while Ingarden survived the war, continued his academic pursuits in Poland, and passed away in 1970. Although Ingarden's letters to Stein are lost, her letters provide insights into his life, intellectual development, and the editorial support she offered for his German publications. Translated by Dr. Hugh Candler Hunt, this premiere English edition offers a fascinating glimpse into Stein's life, showcasing her warmth, humor, and profound intellectual and spiritual depth. The volume includes 13 photos, a bibliography, and an index.
