Chastity Is for Lovers: Single, Happy, and (Still) a Virgin by Arleen Spenceley My rating: 5 of 5 stars For some people, the chaste life can raise a daunting question — a question a friend and fellow blogger brought up once in an interview: “Do you ever worry that one […]
Dickens-Mania: The Pickwick Papers and more
The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens My rating: 4 of 5 stars As I continue my discovery of Charles Dickens I thought it would be interesting to go to the book that brought him original acclaim. This was combined with a desire for light reading, which every commenter agrees is […]
These Just In: Interesting New Books
These are books that passed the first chapter test. Some are enticing me in spite of myself. Naturally that means that although I haven’t read them yet I wanted to give you a heads up in case they entice you too. The Ancient Path: Old Lessons from the Church Fathers […]
What I’ve Been Reading: The Mostly 5-Star Stuff
Some quick looks at books I’ve enjoyed lately which you may not hear talked about much. The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a superbly written book which gives you excellent […]
The Smile of a Ragpicker by Paul Glynn, S.M.
The Smile of a Ragpicker: The Life of Satoko Kitahara Convert and Servant of the Slums of Tokyo by Fr Paul Glynn My rating: 5 of 5 stars Satoko Kitahara was a young Japanese woman born to a wealthy family with a prestigious heritage. In 1947 she, like so many […]
Art, Poetry, and Literature: Two New Books on Prayer You Need to Get
I haven’t done more than dip into these books but I already know enough to recommend them. Full reviews will follow but I didn’t want to wait until I was finished to tell you about them. Art and Prayer: The Beauty of Turning to God by Timothy Verdon There is […]
The Joyful Beggar by Louis de Wohl
The Joyful Beggar by Louis de Wohl My rating: 4 of 5 stars What is it with Louis de Wohl’s books? They’re like peanuts or popcorn. You just keep tossing back handfuls because they’re so good and go down so tastily. I received The Joyful Beggar on a Saturday at […]
The American Catholic Almanac by Brian Burch and Emily Stimpson
The American Catholic Almanac: A Daily Reader of Patriots, Saints, Rogues, and Ordinary People Who Changed the United States by Brian Burch My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’m a sucker for daily readers whether they are devotionals, writings of the saints, or historical almanacs. So if you combine American […]
The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski
The Sacred Year: Mapping the Soulscape of Spiritual Practice — How Contemplating Apples, Living in a Cave, and Befriending a Dying Woman Revived My Life by Michael Yankoski My rating: 4 of 5 stars Father Solomon spoke again, and the shaking of my foundation continued. “The God who called you […]
Great Expectations Time After Time
One of my GoodReads friends said that watching me try to force myself to finish Great Expectations was better than the book itself. I feel rather proud actually as my usual practice is to just toss a book when it’s not working for me. Even the classics (especially Russian classics). […]