'Religion's second-best seller', Walter Elwell, describing "The Imitation of Christ" as second only to the Bible in sales and popularity among religious readers. Through its realistic delineation of the complexities of human existence, and in its soul-building optimism about the benefits of aspiring to a Christ-shaped life, "The Imitation of Christ" clearly deserves the accolade of 'Spiritual Classic'. Although they were written early in the fifteenth century, the number of short meditations that comprise this work remain strikingly fresh and relevant for modern readers.