Stephen Mitchell is a highly acclaimed author, well-known for his work in poetry, non-fiction, and religious and spiritual texts. Born in Brooklyn in 1943, Mitchell was educated at Amherst College, the Sorbonne, and Yale University, before embarking on intensive Zen practice which he credits for his unique perspective.
Mitchell's ability to reinvigorate classic texts has earned him a reputation as a masterful translator and interpreter. His works, including "The Gospel According to Jesus," "The Second Book of the Tao," and two novels, have been praised for their ability to make old classics feel new again. His poetry, particularly his translations of Rainer Maria Rilke's "Selected Poetry" and "Sonnets to Orpheus," have been hailed as some of the most beautiful poetic translations of the twentieth century. Mitchell's poetic interpretations of ancient texts, such as his bestselling "Tao Te Ching," "Bhagavad Gita," and "Gilgamesh," have also received widespread critical acclaim. These works, which are not direct translations from the original texts, have been praised for their ability to make ancient wisdom accessible to modern readers.
Mitchell's contributions to literature for young readers have also been recognized. His book, "The Wishing Bone," won the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award as the best book of poetry for children published in the United States in 2003. His book, "Jesus: What He Really Said and Did," was chosen by the American Library Association’s Booklist as one of the top ten religious books for children in 2002. Mitchell is also the coauthor of three of his wife Byron Katie’s bestselling books: "Loving What Is," "A Thousand Names for Joy," and "A Mind at Home with Itself".