This is a small booklet of translations of letters by Athanasius to Egyptian monks (the group who produced the "desert fathers') about the monastic life. Athanasius is chiefly known for his opposition to the Arians in the debate over the Trinity, but he was sympathetic to the early monks (whose lifestyle was just developing in his lifetime) and they in turn supported him, sometimes coming into the cities to demonstrate for him. His letters ebcourage a moderate form of monastic asceticism in contrast to the extreme rigor of some early hermits, ( )