Catherine of Siena is known around the world as a great mystic and saint, reformer and teacher. She lived during the second half of the fourteenth century, when Europe was ravaged by plague, famine, and the Hundred Years War. Enflamed by her convictions and mystical devotion, Catherine--the unschooled daughter of a Sienese dyer--engaged in political, social, and spiritual activism. She contended with popes, monarchs, and ordinary citizens. Don Brophy gives us a compelling and comprehensive portrait of this intense and irreverent young woman and her times, including details from her powerful letters and her spiritual masterwork, The Dialogue. This is the story of a life lived with the greatest passion.