What in life is unconquerable? What survives no matter what? On The Faithful Gardener, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Est s mines the rich storytelling tradition of her own family to unearth a series of lyrical stories that illustrate how faith is the one immortal force in our lives. What begins as a simple tale from the lips of a child becomes the greater saga of Uncle Zov r, a quiet refugee from the Nazi slave camps, and his refusal to let bitterness darken his devotion to the earth. The final story, told in the form of a vivid old country tale about that which can never die, holds an unforgettable lesson about sacrifice and spiritual regeneration.Raised by a family of refugee immigrants who revered stories as healing instruments, Dr. Est s relates these ageless tales that were first told to nourish, repair, and strengthen--whatever is most needed and wanted. The Faithful Gardener captures the spirit of a long-ago time, while deeply expressing our common desire to know that grappling with sudden and unexpected twists of fate and challenging transitions--however painful--is never in vain.