Saint Anselm is the first English book that attempted to give a full, scientific biography of the saint. Drawing on the historical scholarship that was beginning to form the basis for modern historical writing, Clayton wrote the book that would set the standard for all future works on Anselm. As a pillar of English Catholicism, Anselm was a doctor of the church in the eleventh century, and eventually he was elevated to the see of Canterbury. Eminently readable, this biography explores in detail what is known of Anselm’s early life, his time at the Abbey of Bec, and his role as Archbishop of Canterbury. A colorful character, Anselm had to walk the difficult path between the ecclesiastical authority of his Archbishopric and the political power that brought him into conflict with the monarchs of England. In this tumultuous time Anselm endured exiles and strife, yet remained a sincerely spiritual leader of the church in the Middle Ages. The study concludes with the canonization of Anselm and his role as theologian and philosopher.

Joseph Clayton (1868-1943) was a writer and editor of a London periodical called The New Age. He was a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He had an interest in the Anglo-Catholic movement in the Church of England and wrote biographies of key figures in the English Church. His most well known work is The Rise of Democracy.