Book club recommendations?

  • Thread starter Thread starter awalt
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

awalt

Guest
My parish is starting a book/reading club next week, and we are all supposed to bring some ideas for books to read. While I have some books I am interested in to start my list, I was wondering if folks could post books that they really enjoyed here so I could investigate them and build a list?

Thanks!
 
Are you doing fiction or non-fiction or both? I know there was a thread called “what are you reading” and several others on book reccomendations. Maybe they will be helpful once the full search features are restored.
 
Dear Steph,

Since it is a parish library, I’m supposing you are looking for spiritual books? Also, would you want books for all age groups? How about magazines? There are many used copies that folks may want to donate for the benefit of others. Are you planning to purchase these or accept donations from parishioners?

This is a wonderful idea, and would need a lot of organization to prevent the books from becoming lost through forgetfulness to return them. I have given many of my books out and did not keep track of who I loaned them to. Some were out-of-print books that are priceless.

For starters, I would recommend something on the lives of the saints; maybe a few classics; something for converts that explains the faith; a bible dictionary; the Catechism; a guide for understanding and growing in prayer; and anything that would help families try to live their vocation. You know how many are their troubles in today’s world!

God bless your work!
Carole
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

To clarify some questions, this is probably about 10-12 adult Catholics in our Church. Yes, spiritual books is the goal. I think an example would be something like Scott Hahn’s “The Lamb’s Supper”.

We’ll discuss our ideas at the first meeting, pick a book, everyone goes off and gets it and reads it, and we come back in say 2 months or something to have a series of discussions about it (although I might suggest meeting more frequently say after each 3 chapters to discuss, every 2 weeks or so.)
 
Well since it is the year of the Eucharist I have a great suggestion for you. “In The Presence Of Our Lord: The History, Theology, and Psychology Of Eucharistic Devotion” by Fr. Groeschel and James Monti.
 
Some spiritual classics are-
Introduction to the devout life- St Francis De Sales.
The sinners guide- venerable louis of Grenada.
Imitation of Christ- Thomas A Kempis.
Abandonment to divine providence- Jen Pierre De Cuassade.
Christ is passing by- St Josemari Escriva.

These classics are very available.

And good luck with your book club.
 
Trojan Horse in the City of God by Deitrich von Hildebrand

Soul of the Apostolate by Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard

Our books study has been doing a book a month for over a year and has found these two to be the all-time favorites.
 
In honor of the Pope, you might want to suggest a book written by him.

I agree with John Russell that “Introduction to the Devout Life” is a great all time classic. Even though written a long time ago by St. Francis DeSales, the lessons apply to our lives today as much as the spiritual direction applied to the times when it was written.

I would also recommend “Interior Castle”, “Imitation of Christ”, “The Way of a Pilgrim” and if the group is really spiritually minded, the “Philokalia” (an eastern Christian approach to the spiritual life).

If you are interested in Catholic fiction, then I highly recommend “Father Elijah”. It is an apocalyptic novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Good luck with your book study. 👋
 
A must read is The Story of a Soul - the autobiography of St. Therese of Liseux.
 
No book has inspired me as much as Catherine of Siena’s The Dialogue. Although the work of Teresa of Avila comes close (I’ve not read the Interior Castle yet, but have read her autobiography and the Way of Perfection - there is a great study guide edition of that available from Inistitue of Carmelite Studies).

Right now I am reading The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ by Alphonus Liguori (a doctor of the church). It is a very accessible and brilliantly inspiring book, and I wonder why I never heard about it, but have heard so much about books like *An Introduction to the Devout Life *and *The Imitation of Christ, *which are written in a similar vein, but I think that Liguori’s work lends itself more to group discussion. He draws from the work of several saints, some of whom are doctors (including Frances de Sael, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Augustine, and Thomas a Kempis).
 
since visions and prophecies are very much in the news again, Fr. Groeschel has a book called I think a Still Small Voice about discerning apparations and locutions, and how to weigh these things in our spiritual life.
Authenticity by Thomas Dubay is an excellent place to start in learning about most controversial teachings of the Church, where they come from, why they are true and demand belief.
 
  1. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather: It was absolutely fantastic and very reverent, about Franciscans establishing a new diocese in the American southwest. Despite being an Anglican, Cather really respects the Church.
  2. *Zorba the Greek *by Nikos Kazantzakis (of Last Temptation of Christ fame…book not nearly as bad as the movie): It really explores philosophical themes of freedom and religion as well as gives a colorful snapshot of Mediteranean culture.
  3. Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Elliot: Explores the issues at play in the murder of St. Thomas Becket. Very spiritual and introspective, but also hard to follow because it is dramatic poetry.
 
Twelve Steps to Holiness and Salvation - Alphonsis Liguori
Uniformity with God’s Will - Alphonsis Liguori
Story of a Soul - St. Therese of Liseaux
 
I am enjoying this thread, and am also looking for suitable book club recommendations, especially works of fiction.

My book club has read a number of books lately that were either unflattering to the Catholic Chruch (like “The DaVinci Code”), or books which the lukewarm among us (we are all Catholic) will use to make unfavorable comparisons (e.g., using “Under the Banner of Heaven” to make unflattering comparisons between the Catholic Church and fundamentalist Mormons).

I think we need a breath of fresh air, and I’d welcome suggestions which celebrate Catholic spirituality (we’ve already read “Death Comes for the Archbishop”).
 
  1. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
  2. *The Great Divorce *by C.S. Lewis
  3. Lost in the Cosmos by Walker Percy
 
CHRISTOS VOSKRES!

By all means, you must read WITH GOD IN RUSSIA by Fr. Walter J. Ciszek, SJ and it’s companion book HE LEADETH ME…

They are about his life in a Siberian labor camp. AMAZING!!!

CHRISTOS ANESTI!
 
Thanks everyone for your replies! Our first meeting was tonight, I took all these notes and shared them with the group - we have 12 people, and we are going to meet monthly except a longer break/bigger book in the summer.

Here is what the group selected:

Now - Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis
May-June - The Moviegoer, Walker Percy
summer - Witness to Hope : The Biography of Pope John Paul II

I can’t wait to start!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top