Spiritual Friendship: The Classic Text with a Spiritual Commentary by Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R. (Classics with Commentary)
Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167) was born in Hexham in Northumberland near the border with Scotland. In his adolescence, he pursued an education at the Court of King David I of Scotland. In 1134, he gave up all of his luxuries to join the Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx where he was eventually elected abbot, a position he would hold until his death. As a writer, Aelred left behind a substantial body of work noted for its quality and breadth of insight. His most well known work isSpiritual Friendship, which is widely considered a classic of Christian spirituality.