--- product_id: 35544428 title: "Laurus: The International Bestseller" price: "132.17 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/35544428-laurus-the-international-bestseller store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # Laurus: The International Bestseller **Price:** 132.17 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Laurus: The International Bestseller - **How much does it cost?** 132.17 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/35544428-laurus-the-international-bestseller) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description WINNER OF THE BIG BOOK AWARD, THE LEO TOLSTOY YASNAYA POLYANA AWARD & THE READ RUSSIA AWARD 'THE MOST IMPORTANT LIVING RUSSIAN WRITER' New Yorker *A NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016* Fifteenth-century Russia It is a time of plague and pestilence, and a young healer, skilled in the art of herbs and remedies, finds himself overcome with grief and guilt when he fails to save the one he holds closest to his heart. Leaving behind his village, his possessions and his name, he sets out on a quest for redemption, penniless and alone. But this is no ordinary journey: wandering across plague-ridden Europe, offering his healing powers to all in need, he travels through ages and countries, encountering a rich tapestry of wayfarers along the way. Accosted by highwaymen, lynched in Yugoslavia and washed overboard at sea, he eventually reaches Jerusalem, only to find his greatest challenge is yet to come. Winner of two of the biggest literary prizes in Russia, Laurus is a remarkably rich novel about the eternal themes of love, loss, self-sacrifice and faith, from one of the country’s most experimental and critically acclaimed novelists. Review: Deeply Moving, Spiritually and on Many other Levels. One of the few books I will keep for the rest of my life. - WARNING *** proceed with caution *** SPOILER ALERT *** Several days ago I finished reading the book Laurus* written about a 15th century monk who lived his life as a healer, trying to redeem the life of his young love and her baby, both of whom died in childbirth, without the benefit of confession, and having been living sinfully outside of marriage. The main character who starts life as an orphan named Arseny has learned the gift of healing from his grandfather, long dead. Because he is ashamed that he has hidden the young woman in his home secretly, he does not want to call for a midwife when her time comes, thinking he will be able to deliver her. But instead, both she and the baby boy die. Arseny, overcome with guilt, vows to live Ustina’s unlived life for her, for it is only in life that we are able to make reparation for our sins. And so he plans to do good for all of his days and to scourge himself , whom he despises in order to gain redemption for Ustina and the baby. Throughout his life, he stays true to his word and endures much hardship and suffering. Sometimes it seems that his life is one long dark night of the soul. He oftens questions himself and his direction in life, never knowing if he is proceeding as he should. Always, he is faithful to Ustina, speaking to her, telling her that he is working to save her soul and asking for her advice. But she never answers, and Arseny takes this as a sign that further, more rigorous effort is required. He does this by giving away all he owns, including any food that is given him and by scourging himself in various, often brutal ways. As his reputation as a healer and a holy man begins to grow, and his works are considered miraculous and a work from God, his deep humility never changes, and he considers himself most unworthy. Nearing the end of his life, he asks the parish priest that his body be dragged through the streets in one last act of humiliation to his body; and so this is religiously performed by a holy trinity including an abbot, a bishop and an archbishop sent to accompany Laurus into his next life: "They kneel and soundlessly pray. They take the ends of the rope in their hands, kiss them, and stand up straight. Cross themselves in unison. The hems of their robes and the ends of their beards flap in unity….Their gazes are directed above…" 10,000 people who have been touched by the life of this holy man are on their knees in shock and sorrow as he is dragged through the town where he was born one last time. Laurus’ goodness and mercy had transformed this once ordinary man into a saint for the ages. + + + The transformative power of suffering was the major theme of this novel. But suffering without humility is wasted, and so humility assumed an equal role. In the beginning, Arseny erred, as most young people do, on two fronts: youthful hubris and new love/lust. In today’s world, we almost consider these things a rite of passage, but in Arseny’s world with the the resulting outcome, they became the devastation of three lives. I would argue that Arseny took on the Herculean task of reparation for three souls and gave everything, even the mortification of his body beyond death. I wept for him, and I continue to weep. Laurus suffered silently and without complaint. He did not defend himself when falsely accused. For long periods of time he felt speech unnecessary and lived silently by himself. Time began to shimmer and skip for him. His life unfurled itself in a particular direction, and then returned to where it began. He traveled a spiral path, climbing ever higher to God, yet all the time feeling he was an abject sinner and lost. Perhaps there is hope for us (me) here. If a man such as this can be clothed in the schema and all his life feel worthless and confused and lost, yet keep doing good and praying then that is all that any of us can do in this life, and perhaps we are not so lost, after all. + *Arseny undergoes several name changes in the novel which is the tradition when one is ordained as a monk. As one is elevated to a new rank or order, one’s name is changed again. The last name he receives, Laurus is one that accompanies his receipt of the schema, the highest degree of asceticism in Eastern Christianity. This novel is loosely based on the life of St Cyril of the White Lake, who did indeed live during that time period. To see images and read about the real St Cyril, or to purchase the book, see the links below: St Cyril of the White Lake with View of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/saint-cyril-of-white-lake-w... "Venerable Cyril, the Abbot of White Lake",[...] Review: Beautiful work - Though an avid reader, I've never taken the time to write a review for a book. After reading Laurus I think this one deserves a review just to let whoever may be looking into reading this story that it is definitely worth your while. Just be warned, reading it may change the way you see life and will likely stay with you for a long time after reading it, it certainly has stuck with me. To start, Laurus is the most Russian piece of literature I have ever read, and as someone who was not raised Russian Orthodox but is interested in understanding it, this story brought the Russian Orthodox liturgy, atmosphere and mindset to life and clarity like nothing I have ever encountered. There is one scene in particular, when Arseny is taken to a Russian Orthodox service by his grandfather, that sticks out as deeply affecting and ended up being one of my favorite scenes in the book. The writing is at times violent, uplifting, graphic, delicate, gut-wrenching, holy, profane, all seamlessly blended by Vodolazkin, who is a master of language like no writer I've read besides perhaps Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy. Kudos also to the translator, as she made this story come to startling life in the English language and yet preserved the intrinsic Russian quality of the original. The story follows the life of Arseny from birth to death, following him through his physical as well as spiritual journeys. When the woman he loves dies without his being able to save her, Arseny resolves to live his life in her place in an attempt to ultimately save her and himself. Through plague, death and hardship, journeys that take him to far-away places and force him to confront himself, Arseny heals and brings hope to the lives of those around him. At the end of his life, Arseny (having taken the name Laurus) feels unworthy of regard and even burial in the earth, but in the end he has saved countless lives (and maybe even a few souls) with his healing hands and presence throughout his life. Is this the biography of a saint or a sinner? Perhaps both. Arseny is a composite of the sinful man who has fallen, but also the image of man as he could become, something better and called to a higher place from where he started. Maybe even a saint. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #82,317 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #217 in Cultural Heritage Fiction #249 in Christian Historical Fiction (Books) #2,850 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,204 Reviews | ## Images ![Laurus: The International Bestseller - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71iyeu4OSAL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Deeply Moving, Spiritually and on Many other Levels. One of the few books I will keep for the rest of my life. *by N***A on March 6, 2016* WARNING *** proceed with caution *** SPOILER ALERT *** Several days ago I finished reading the book Laurus* written about a 15th century monk who lived his life as a healer, trying to redeem the life of his young love and her baby, both of whom died in childbirth, without the benefit of confession, and having been living sinfully outside of marriage. The main character who starts life as an orphan named Arseny has learned the gift of healing from his grandfather, long dead. Because he is ashamed that he has hidden the young woman in his home secretly, he does not want to call for a midwife when her time comes, thinking he will be able to deliver her. But instead, both she and the baby boy die. Arseny, overcome with guilt, vows to live Ustina’s unlived life for her, for it is only in life that we are able to make reparation for our sins. And so he plans to do good for all of his days and to scourge himself , whom he despises in order to gain redemption for Ustina and the baby. Throughout his life, he stays true to his word and endures much hardship and suffering. Sometimes it seems that his life is one long dark night of the soul. He oftens questions himself and his direction in life, never knowing if he is proceeding as he should. Always, he is faithful to Ustina, speaking to her, telling her that he is working to save her soul and asking for her advice. But she never answers, and Arseny takes this as a sign that further, more rigorous effort is required. He does this by giving away all he owns, including any food that is given him and by scourging himself in various, often brutal ways. As his reputation as a healer and a holy man begins to grow, and his works are considered miraculous and a work from God, his deep humility never changes, and he considers himself most unworthy. Nearing the end of his life, he asks the parish priest that his body be dragged through the streets in one last act of humiliation to his body; and so this is religiously performed by a holy trinity including an abbot, a bishop and an archbishop sent to accompany Laurus into his next life: "They kneel and soundlessly pray. They take the ends of the rope in their hands, kiss them, and stand up straight. Cross themselves in unison. The hems of their robes and the ends of their beards flap in unity….Their gazes are directed above…" 10,000 people who have been touched by the life of this holy man are on their knees in shock and sorrow as he is dragged through the town where he was born one last time. Laurus’ goodness and mercy had transformed this once ordinary man into a saint for the ages. + + + The transformative power of suffering was the major theme of this novel. But suffering without humility is wasted, and so humility assumed an equal role. In the beginning, Arseny erred, as most young people do, on two fronts: youthful hubris and new love/lust. In today’s world, we almost consider these things a rite of passage, but in Arseny’s world with the the resulting outcome, they became the devastation of three lives. I would argue that Arseny took on the Herculean task of reparation for three souls and gave everything, even the mortification of his body beyond death. I wept for him, and I continue to weep. Laurus suffered silently and without complaint. He did not defend himself when falsely accused. For long periods of time he felt speech unnecessary and lived silently by himself. Time began to shimmer and skip for him. His life unfurled itself in a particular direction, and then returned to where it began. He traveled a spiral path, climbing ever higher to God, yet all the time feeling he was an abject sinner and lost. Perhaps there is hope for us (me) here. If a man such as this can be clothed in the schema and all his life feel worthless and confused and lost, yet keep doing good and praying then that is all that any of us can do in this life, and perhaps we are not so lost, after all. + *Arseny undergoes several name changes in the novel which is the tradition when one is ordained as a monk. As one is elevated to a new rank or order, one’s name is changed again. The last name he receives, Laurus is one that accompanies his receipt of the schema, the highest degree of asceticism in Eastern Christianity. This novel is loosely based on the life of St Cyril of the White Lake, who did indeed live during that time period. To see images and read about the real St Cyril, or to purchase the book, see the links below: St Cyril of the White Lake with View of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/saint-cyril-of-white-lake-w... "Venerable Cyril, the Abbot of White Lake",[...] ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful work *by A***S on June 22, 2016* Though an avid reader, I've never taken the time to write a review for a book. After reading Laurus I think this one deserves a review just to let whoever may be looking into reading this story that it is definitely worth your while. Just be warned, reading it may change the way you see life and will likely stay with you for a long time after reading it, it certainly has stuck with me. To start, Laurus is the most Russian piece of literature I have ever read, and as someone who was not raised Russian Orthodox but is interested in understanding it, this story brought the Russian Orthodox liturgy, atmosphere and mindset to life and clarity like nothing I have ever encountered. There is one scene in particular, when Arseny is taken to a Russian Orthodox service by his grandfather, that sticks out as deeply affecting and ended up being one of my favorite scenes in the book. The writing is at times violent, uplifting, graphic, delicate, gut-wrenching, holy, profane, all seamlessly blended by Vodolazkin, who is a master of language like no writer I've read besides perhaps Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy. Kudos also to the translator, as she made this story come to startling life in the English language and yet preserved the intrinsic Russian quality of the original. The story follows the life of Arseny from birth to death, following him through his physical as well as spiritual journeys. When the woman he loves dies without his being able to save her, Arseny resolves to live his life in her place in an attempt to ultimately save her and himself. Through plague, death and hardship, journeys that take him to far-away places and force him to confront himself, Arseny heals and brings hope to the lives of those around him. At the end of his life, Arseny (having taken the name Laurus) feels unworthy of regard and even burial in the earth, but in the end he has saved countless lives (and maybe even a few souls) with his healing hands and presence throughout his life. Is this the biography of a saint or a sinner? Perhaps both. Arseny is a composite of the sinful man who has fallen, but also the image of man as he could become, something better and called to a higher place from where he started. Maybe even a saint. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A curious, cryptic--and yes, Russian--novel. *by J***Z on April 17, 2024* This book drags us back to a Russia of many centuries ago, when the Orthodox Chuch held sway over the land, and saints were living next door. It's a fascinating eye-opener. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/35544428-laurus-the-international-bestseller](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/35544428-laurus-the-international-bestseller) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-06-04*