Lay Carmelite brother’s text is bestseller at NZ bookshop

By CathNews New Zealand

September 22nd, 2026

Brother Lawrence in the kitchen (Wikimedia Commons)

A classic text by a 17th-century lay Carmelite brother is the current bestselling book after the Bible at an Auckland second-hand Christian bookshop. Source: Newsroom.

Practice of the Presence of God by Br Lawrence is proving popular at Evermore Books in Mt Roskill, said co-owner Nicole Magolan.

“A tiny but mighty classic written by a 17th-century monk. It offers timeless wisdom on how to cultivate an awareness of the presence of God in daily life and through daily tasks. His teachings remain applicable to our lives today, and the book is currently our number one bestselling book at Evermore – after the Bible,” Ms Magolan said.

According to the Carmelite Spirit website, Nicolas Herman decided to enter the Discalced Carmelites in Paris on the Rue de Vaugirard as a lay brother at the age of 26. He received the name of Br Lawrence of the Resurrection.

For 15 years, he was the community’s cook and then the sandal-maker. His first 10 years of religious life were filled with spiritual darkness, coupled with a keen sense of his sins. But he abandoned himself to the Lord and made a concerted effort to live simply under the gaze of God in all things and in every moment of the day. Thus, he found peace.

It was then that Br Lawrence really began to shine. He received many visitors and spent his life in a very simple relationship with God until his death in 1691.

Second on the Evermore list of most in-demand titles is Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

“One of the most popular and enduring Christian books, Mere Christianity, continues to be a bestseller at Evermore. C.S. Lewis presents his case for Christianity, defending the Christian worldview using intellectual arguments, insightful allegories and a quirky humour. He tackles questions of morality and ethics, and doesn’t shy away from hard questions,” Ms Magolan said.

In recent years, Evermore has seen a shift of young people turning to church history – seeking books by the Church Fathers, as well as classic authors like G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis, Ms Magolan added.

“It’s not only the physicality of a book that appeals, but the substance, with roots deep in Christian tradition.”

FULL STORY

The books of God (By Nicole Magolan/Newsroom)

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (Carmelite Spirit)