Your local Christian bookstore

[bklynbrat]

I’ve reverted back this past year, & find myself craving to read everything & anything about Catholicism. I’ve realized that as a child of the 70’s that I really did not know the why’s of why we do what we do. Make sense?

So out of curiosity, does your local “Christian” bookstore carry anything Catholic?

The reason I ask is because I went with my husband to one here in town (this place is huge too) (he was looking for a gift for his mom), so I wandered around & found one shelf that actually had some baptism knick knacks.

Traveled over to the books, saw a Catholicism section & all there was, was the Catechism (& just 2 of them at that). Slightly disappointed I might add. But I guess better than nothing huh?

Then I asked, just for the heck of it, if they carried any books by Scott Hahn. WHO??? that was the response I got back. Needless to say, no.

We do have Barnes & Nobles, (they carry some Catholic books but never what I’m looking for), Borders (although haven’t checked there, other side of town), & a locally owned Catholic bookstore (they don’t carry much of Scott Hahn books either).

I guess I’m just bummed because when the urge hits me to buy books that I want I have to do it online.

 

[Tonks40]

Trying to find good Catholic books at your local Christian bookstore or mall bookstore can get frustrating. Do you have any Catholic bookstores in your area? You may want to do a Google search or check your local yellow pages. Another good resource (those neutral and mixed in theology) would be your local library.

 

[bklynbrat]

Trying to find good Catholic books at your local Christian bookstore or mall bookstore can get frustrating. Do you have any Catholic bookstores in your area? You may want to do a Google search or check your local yellow pages. Another good resource (those neutral and mixed in theology) would be your local library.

I do have a locally owned Catholic store, but their selection is minimal. I’ve thought about the library, but I’d like to build up my own library.

Thanks

BTW, my 11 year old daughter caught your screen name. She got excited & sad at the same time…

 

[jc-servant]

I noticed when I was visiting in a city that did not have a Catholic bookstore that the parish had a small store off the the narthex with some books and devotional items. Sometimes you have to ask around at various parish offices to find stores even a major metro area. I found a truly great little store after passing by it for a couple of years just by asking at the local parish office.

I also order things at times from amazon which ships surprisingly fast even on super saver shipping. It lets me anticipate the new arrivals instead of having instant gratification. I also plan my reading list by using their wish list feature which allows people to find a gift for me easily if they so choose.

 

[Nick_Alexander]

Don’t expect Catholic-based material to be picked up at your Christian bookstore–it’s all about distribution. The major distributors at the Christian bookstore are more likely to pass out the Rick Warrens, the Joyce Meyers, and the Joel Osteens. The most Catholic material you’d find is probably with the “Emergent Worship” section, in which the youth of today (Protestant and Catholic) have a hunger for integrating ancient worship practices with today’s praise and worship choruses. I’m serious.

Most Catholic bookstores I’ve frequented are moving away from books, where they do not get as good a deal as the Barnes & Nobles and Borders (both of which, in my experience, have excellent sections, if you know what you’re looking for). Instead, it seems these stores are moving towards statues, icons, and children’s confirmation outfits. (And some still sell audio music cassettes).

If you have a Catholic reading urge, then you should frequent your Catholic online retailer. If you must do Amazon.com, be sure to click thru a site like rosaryarmy.com so they could get a tiny percentage of the profits. And in the meantime, feel free to go to vatican.va’s website and download whatever encyclicals that would interest you, or find articles on ignatiusinsight.com .

Nick

 

[antimon]

I live in a country where majority of Christians are Catholics, so most Christian bookstores are Catholic. But they usually offer many good Protestant books too.

 

[puzzleannie]

Christian as opposed to Catholic bookstores are usually subsidized by distributors, some linked to denominations, some to publishers, so you will only find books and related materials from those publishers, very rarely any specifically Catholic works. buy from Catholic presses on-line, EWTN bookstore and catalog and so forth, preferable even to amazon. don’t buy from amazon unless you know exactly what you are looking for by title, author, publisher and year, as you may get surprised by similar titles which are not what you want.

 

[bluerose]

I can’t find the thread right now, but someone posted a list of Catholic publishing houses (and even ranked them according to orthodoxy.) If you can find that thread, check to see if the publishers have websites (like Ignatius Press) where you can order books directly from them.

 

[bklynbrat]

I also order things at times from amazon which ships surprisingly fast even on super saver shipping. It lets me anticipate the new arrivals instead of having instant gratification. I also plan my reading list by using their wish list feature which allows people to find a gift for me easily if they so choose.

That’s where I am right now. My list is long too…

 

[bklynbrat]

If you have a Catholic reading urge, then you should frequent your Catholic online retailer. If you must do Amazon.com, be sure to click thru a site like rosaryarmy.com so they could get a tiny percentage of the profits. And in the meantime, feel free to go to vatican.va’s website and download whatever encyclicals that would interest you, or find articles on ignatiusinsight.com .

Nick

Thank you for the other sites. Right now I have a wishlist on Amazon, & I would really prefer that my money goes to a worthy cause, as opposed to making the rich richer…

 

[Sr_Sally]

We have a few outlets of the huge national Christian bookstore near us. One of them does have a ‘Catholic Corner’ as my dh calls it. We actually bought our Sacred Heart portrait there.

We also have 2 independent Catholic bookstores near us. We try to always buy from them rather than from a regualr bookstore (Borders, Amazon) or from the Christian bookstore as a way to support the families who own the stores.

 

[Sr_Sally]

I do have a locally owned Catholic store, but their selection is minimal. I’ve thought about the library, but I’d like to build up my own library.

Thanks

BTW, my 11 year old daughter caught your screen name. She got excited & sad at the same time…

Ask your Catholic bookstoer to order whatever you want. They may start carrying more and you’ll be supporting the owners of the store.

 

[lizaanne]

I guess I’m just bummed because when the urge hits me to buy books that I want I have to do it online.

For some excellent videos, check out the link in my signature. Also - if your user name is telling, and I can assume you are in Brooklyn, the show, The One True Faith, is on in your area - check HERE for the details.

I know they aren’t books, but I hope this helps! You can also get podcasts of the shows as well.

Welcome (back) Home!!

Thank you for the other sites. Right now I have a wishlist on Amazon, & I would really prefer that my money goes to a worthy cause, as opposed to making the rich richer…

St. Michaels Media is a not for profit Catholic Apostolate.

~Liza

 

[Joe_5859]

I can’t find the thread right now, but someone posted a list of Catholic publishing houses (and even ranked them according to orthodoxy.) If you can find that thread, check to see if the publishers have websites (like Ignatius Press) where you can order books directly from them.

Is this the thread you were referring to?

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=186445

In retrospect, I would definitely move Loyola Press to the “Mixed category”. It is far from a comprehensive list, but I do what I can!

In my experience, Christian bookstores do not carry many Catholic books (and if they are books about Catholicism, they may actually be anti-Catholic). Barnes & Nobles and Borders often have some good books, but they’re mixed in with the bad ones, so you have to be somewhat discerning when browsing there.

You might try talking to the people at your local Catholic store and encouraging them to carry more books. It’s worth a try!

 

[JMMK]

Only thing specifically catholic at the local christian book store is the catholic edition of the bible.

 

[davy39]

Usually, the only Catholic books carried by a christian book store are anti-Catholic books. There are two excellant Catholic bookstores in Toledo, which is where we go, although it is fifty miles away.

 

[kage_ar]

Just a thought, you can encourage your local Christian bookstore to stock more Catholic stuff.

How do you do that? If they have 2 copies of the Cathecism on the shelf, buy them. This triggers the computer that these are selling and more will be ordered.

Ask for Catholic books (the Holy Father’s writings, Scott Hahn, Matthew Kelly, Fr. Groschel, any of the good writers). If they are not on the shelf, ask if they can be special ordered for you.

Again, this will get in the Christian Chain Bookstore computer, they want to stock what is selling - if enough Catholics did this, that store just might have a bigger selection.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I second the suggestion above to ask your local Catholic bookstore to order the books you want. It supports the bookstore and gives the person doing the ordering a sense of what people are looking for.

 

[lizaanne]

I second the suggestion above to ask your local Catholic bookstore to order the books you want. It supports the bookstore and gives the person doing the ordering a sense of what people are looking for.

Absolutely! We do this all the time at Saint Michael’s Media. If someone is looking for something specific, we will order it for them. Book stores have arrangements with distributors and are able to get stuff that might be hard to find. Just ask - I’m sure they can order for you!

~Liza

 

[Dandelion_Wine]

We try to always buy from them rather than from a regualr bookstore (Borders, Amazon) . . . as a way to support the families who own the stores.

Ask your Catholic bookstoer to order whatever you want. They may start carrying more and you’ll be supporting the owners of the store.

bklynbrat - I whole-heartedly encourage you to do just that. I used to go online to get the best deal and save a few bucks here or there - until I went to a homeschool conference and my local Catholic bookstore helped sponsor it. Then the light finally went on for me that although they cost a few bucks more, I was supporting 1) a Catholic endeavor, 2) a local endeavor, and 3)ultimately myself because they are putting resources into my life.

If I want a book I usually find all the info I can on amazon and then I call my local Catholic bookstore and see if they have it and if they don’t, if they can get it. If they’re hesistant to do that, offer to pay for it in advance (that’s what you’re doing online anyway).