Writers from the Outside

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SanRafael1102

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Lately, I’ve been building a collection of books which I feel compelled to read. This library contains both fiction and non-fiction. My library thusfar contains poets, novelists (Tolkien, Cervantes, Poe, Hemingway, etc.), theologians (Thomas Kempis, Ratzinger, etc.), the saints (Sts. Therese, Justin Martyr, Padre Pio, Ven. Fulton Sheen, etc.), philosophers (Plato, Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, etc.), priests (Fr. Mitch Pacwa), cardinals (Robert Sarah), and many others.

Now, I find myself wondering if there are any non-western and even non-Christian works that one such as me would do well to have.

The first things that come to mind are Confucius, the (so-called) Buddha, the Epic of Gilgamesh, Sun Tzu’s, Ghandi, or other classical stories or works that would contain valuable information for a Catholic, or even just give one a snapshot of another culture.

Thomas Merton seems to have grown quite attached to eastern religious texts, but I’m not looking for ways to amalgamate different faiths into a unique worldview. Instead I want the great stories, the tragedies, the epics, etc., that may have shaped and taught the cultures that we share the world with.

I know nothing about the East-- near, middle, or far. It would also be useful to know of any great Christian stories from this area, but I feel that they’d all be pretty recent.

Thoughts?

~Pax
 
Building a library is a good activity. Although, collecting books is a lot different than reading them. Also, finding a valuable, life-changing book is more than just reading. It should be re-read and internalized. And we could even consider memorizing certain passages that have the highest value.
All of that said, there are a lot of secular, non-Catholiic books, obviously. There are some good ones coming out now from a neo-Stoic perspective, focusing on virtues. The pagan writers of old have a lot of wisdom.
As for novels, I’d like to know what are the good contemporary ones – I just try hit-or-miss.

But reflecting on my first thought – there is so much within the Catholic realm to read, and it doesn’t just repeat itself – that it really requires some steady focus to go through it. There’s a short list of excellent Catholic novels. For non-Catholics, there’s a huge list of English language novelists, some you mentioned, but many others.
 
I one time had to read an excerpt of the Ramayana for a college course. Is it worth the investment for a Catholic?
 
SanRafael1102 said:
I one time had to read an excerpt of the Ramayana for a college course. Is it worth the investment for a Catholic?
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It is always worth the time and effort to learn about other faith traditions, IMHO. Roman Catholicism does not exist in a void.
 
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