Have you ever had one of those moments when you crack open a new book and realize straightaway that you’ve stumbled on something special? I had one of those moments recently, when a new book by Gary Jansen arrived on my doorstep! Gary is an editor at Loyola Press and the author of several books about the supernatural.
Saints, Angels & Demons: An A-to-Z Guide to the Holy and the Damned is a beautifully illustrated compendium of nearly 400 inhabitants of the spiritual realm—both good and evil. In this discussion, Gary explains how he came to write this book and how the lives of the saints can enrich the lives of believers and spiritual seekers alike.
What inspired you to write this book?
When I was young and preparing for my Confirmation, my mom gave me a book of saints she had bought at a garage sale. It was an old, weathered book, but I was captivated by the stories inside—stories that, looking back, were timeless and still resonate with me today. I loved that book, so when I began work on Saints, Angels & Demons, I thought of it often. With my own book, I aimed to do three things that that old garage sale book did: inform, illuminate, and inspire. I wanted to inform readers with basic facts about the saints—when they lived, where they lived, what their symbols are, and what their patronages are. I wanted to illuminate the saints through short, vivid historical profiles. And I wanted to inspire readers through storytelling, creating micro-biographies of these figures.
It was an editor at Black Dog & Leventhal, an imprint of Hachette (one of the Big Five publishers in New York), who initially reached out to me and pitched an idea for a big book of saints. At first I turned it down because it was going to be a massive undertaking. I even tried to help the editor find someone else to work on the project, but there were no takers! Eventually, I gave in and agreed to do it and suggested we add in angels and demons. As far as I know, there hasn’t been another book that examines the sacred and the profane together the way I do in this book. The more I thought about the project, the more I felt honored to do it. Catholic books are underrepresented in mainstream publishing, so when the good folks at the same parent company that publishes Catcher in the Rye reach out to you, you should probably just do what they ask!
I aimed to create an accessible, heirloom-quality book appealing to individual seekers and families.
What was the most surprising thing you learned while writing this book?
One thing that surprised me was how many saints came from wealthy backgrounds. Many—not all, of course, but quite a few—were the sons and daughters of nobles, merchants, politicians, and even royalty. St. Francis of Assisi and St. Ignatius of Loyola came from fairly affluent families. That’s not to say that people of faith can’t come from poverty—St. Bernadette’s family was very poor. And, of course, many of the saints elected to live a life of poverty. But even so, if they were writers or theologians, most resided in cloistered places that offered them walls of protection. All this is to say that in modern times, those who have decent jobs or might be well off for whatever reason, by virtue of their circumstances, have the opportunity—and perhaps the responsibility—to cultivate their spirituality and share it with others. Many of these saintly figures did just that.
Has your own devotion to the saints been deepened and enriched through this project?
Absolutely! Working on this book has been a great privilege, as it helped me see the humanity in the saints while allowing me to explore the angelic and demonic orders, which I found fascinating. For more than fifteen years, I’ve been writing about how important it is to pay attention to the invisible world around us: the world of the Holy Spirit, the saints, and the good and fallen angels. I wanted to create a compelling book that both educates and entertains, so these little biographies focus on the saints as people, without ignoring the hagiography and the miracles associated with many of them.
What are you hoping readers (believers, spiritual seekers, nonbelievers) will take away from this book?
As a writer, editor, and publisher, I love creating books that reach a wide audience. This book is written for Catholics but is accessible to anyone intrigued by the topic, regardless of their religious or nonreligious background. I like creating one-stop-shop book experiences, so this book includes micro-histories and beautiful artwork by Katie Ponder and a wealth of appendices that provide historical context. You’ll find timelines; information on heresies, councils, and iconography; and even details about Roman emperors, to name a few examples. I aimed to create an accessible, heirloom-quality book appealing to individual seekers and families. Some of the best feedback I’ve received since the book’s release has come from people who bought it for themselves, only to have their teenage children take ownership of it!
Do you have any more projects like this on the horizon?
Oh, I have a five-year plan. . . . Well, it’s more like a six-year plan, with new books scheduled for release between 2024 and 2029. This year, I’ll release a book on the healing power of the Rosary. After that, I’m wrapping up a big history of the supernatural that’s been in the works for nearly a decade. And there are a few other surprises in the pipeline!