Your Personal "CATHOLIC BOOKS" Reviews

  • Thread starter Thread starter Maryam
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Maryam

Guest
Hi all,
I have seen threads on what books forum members are reading or book recommendations, but, in searching have not found an individual thread just for “book reviews” by forum members and whether they found a book worth reading, faithful to the Magisterium or if it contains heretical information.

I think this will help many of us forum members weed out the good from the bad in Catholic literature.

I will start with my own review…
  1. **Introduction to Mary: The heart of Marian Doctrine and Devotion by Mark Miravalle **
** Review ** I found this book to be ok, nothing scholarly… More of a basic outline kind of a book. I was dismayed to find in the section on Marian Apparitions that it included Medjugorje and was thankful that I got the book from the library and had not wasted money on it. ** 1 1/2 out 5 rating **
  1. **Catholic Customs & Traditions by Greg Dues **
** Review ** For a slim sized book it contained a good amount of information on the origins of many Catholic traditions, days of the week, holy days, devotions, sacraments and sacramentals. I give it a ** 3 out of 5 rating **.

**Ok, now it’s everybody elses turn to give their reviews… **

Try to keep your reviews brief ** and if you any of you have questions on a good or bad point in a book review posted, it’s ok. Let us keep away from ** personal attacks in the reviews posted by other forum members so as not to make the thread veer off topic and be more helpful to one another. 😃

Let us see how this thread rolls or whether it dies fast. LOL

God bless all
 
The Courage to be Catholic George Weigel It discusses the Priest sex abuse scandal, what went wrong, how to fix it and even explains how the Church is run, who has what responsibility, etc. I remember at one point he said there is no direct phone line from the bishops to the Vatican. It’s a very informative book. I would give it 4 out of 5.

Maggie
 
The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn. Explains the Mass using Biblical references, specifically those references that can be found in Revelation. Makes an interesting case for what the book of Revelation was meant to be. 4 of 5 stars.

The Mystery We Proclaim. Goes through the basics of the Catholic faith using the Catechism and the General Directory for Catechesis. 3 1/2 of 5 stars.
 
Thanks for the reviews 😃 😃 😃

I KNOW MORE FORUM MEMBERS have read a gazillion BOOKS! So, ** C’MON FORUM GUYS AND GALS**… post your reviews of books you have read already and help other forum members to find good Catholic literature to buy or what to stay away from.

Here are a few more reviews:

1) Heaven Help Us: The Worrier’s Guide to the Patron Saints by Alice La Plante & Clare La Plante

** Review: This book contains alot of practices that Catholics have incorporated into their devotion to the Saints from folklore and superstition. So, you will find many humorous ways that saints are used in order to get a request answered (or so you would think). This in no way is a book that is faithful to Catholic teachings, but, it is entertaining as to the extremes that some Catholics will go to in order to get a request answered. ** 3 out of 5 stars, more out of entertainment value, than fidelity to church teachings.

Example: If you have a toothache invoke the help of Saint Apollonia by carrying a tooth around your neck for 24 hours or you can say “Dear Saint Apollonia, Healer of toothaches, take away my suffering.”

** 2) Novena The Power of Prayer by Barbara Calamari & Sandra DiPasqua **

** Review: ** This book is absolutely gorgeous and comes in hardcover. It contains stunning holy card pictures for each Novena to a particular Saint, Angel, the Virgin Mary, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Each Saint, angel and so on having at least 1 1/2 pages of information on them along with the novena prayers. The only thing I found alittle strange was how the authors stated that each novena prayer must be said 9 times a day for 9 days and as far as I know it is only 1 time a day for 9 days. ** 4 stars out 5, but, I will let the 9 times a day blooper slide just because the pictures are so gorgeous! **

** 3) A Scriptural Rosary by Pauline Books and Media **

** Review: **I got this small hardcover book in church as it was being given away as a free gift to parishioners!! This is my favorite book to use in saying the rosary and each mystery has a picture of a colorful stained glass image along with Scriptural quotes for each Hail Mary. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. The images and scripture quotes really help me to focus well. ** 4 out of 5 **
 
The old classic “Introduction to the Devout Life” by St. Francis DeSales is just as relevant today as it was during the 1600’s. It is the perfect guide to living a holy, Christian life. DeSales addresses so many aspects of secular life such as, parties and lawful but dangerous pastimes, propriety in dress, the necessity of chastity—many of the things we struggle with today. In this valuable book, he also provides profound meditations to help us grow in spirituality and a true desire to live a devout life. I rate this classic 5 out of 5 stars. It’s one of my all time favorites.👍

As for modern reading material…when you want to enjoy some great Catholic fiction, “Father Elijah” by Michael D. O’Brien will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is a gripping and suspenseful apocalyptic story of a humble Carmelite priest who is sent on a secret mission by the Vatican and ends up in a struggle with the anti-Christ. I enjoyed this book so much that I didn’t want it to end. (It makes the tacky Left Behind series books look like Kindergarten work.) 5 out of 5 stars. 😉 👍
 
Why Catholics Can’t Sing by Thomas Day.

This delightful book catches the one thing that has contributed so much to what is wrong with the Catholic Church: the music in many parishes is absolutely horrible!

How a church that has given us so many beautiful hymns and composers can be reduced to Kumbaya and the St. Louis Jesuits is the mystery that Mr. Day seeks to explain. His hilarious characters like Mr. Caruso and Fr. Hank highlight that since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has been usurped by the 'triumph of bad taste" when it comes to music. This, in turn, has led to many other problems, too.

See if you can withhold your laughter when Mr. Day compares the song, “Here I am Lord” to the “Brady Bunch song.” Or when he tells the tale of the tambourine-slapping ladies at one Connecticut parish (complete with clam-digger trousers!).

Rating: 5 out of 5. A must-read for all.
 
My current favourites are

Roses Fountains and Gold: The Virgin Mary in History, Art and Apparition…by John Martin
I cannot praise this book highly enough wonderfully written …Fantastic…

Mention your request here : The Church’s Most Powerful Novenas by Micheal Dubruiel

A lovely collection of prayers, but what I like most about this book is its addresses of American shrines without which ( I live in the UK) I would never have known about let alone virtually visit the exquisite shrine to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.
 
Deception: Catholic Education in America comes out in print next month. Rev. CJ McCloskey III gives it a good review here. Anyone read it in PDF, know anything about the publisher (Bridgegroom Press) or find other reviews?
 
The Bible

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

St Andrew Daily Missal

My Way of Life

My Daily Bread

Inmitation of Christ:blessyou:
 
It’s great to see reviews of some books I have not been able to get my hands on. Thanks 😃 😃

I know that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is definitely something ALL should read, no doubt about it and some book titles posted are great reads, but, not everyone will be familiar with some of the book titles (except the Bible of course!) and won’t know if you are giving it a good or bad review, so, please stick to giving reviews on Catholic books or commenting on certain points in the reviews made by other forum members. All (name removed by moderator)ut appreciated. 😃 😃

Here’s some more reviews by me:

** 1) Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour **

** Review: ** This book is written by a Palestinian ** Melkite Priest ** regarding his experiences and those of his family from before the creation of the state of Israel, to being forced to give up their home/land and the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to come.

This book is very IMPORTANT since it is written from the viewpoint of a ** CATHOLIC ** Palestinian Melkite Priest. A viewpoint very rarely seen from an indigenous Christian vantage point. The book is detailed and straightforward without being gruesome, so you get an idea of the horrible sufferings without being put off by the descriptions. I give this book a** 5 out of 5 rating in being very important in educating others on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the viewpoint of a Catholic Palestinian.**

** 2) Fatima by Mother of Christ Crusade **

** Review: ** This little 225 page booklet was given to me in Catholic school when I was a 10 yr old child way back in 1983. It was written by Sister Lucy and Father John De Marchi. This book was my introduction in life to the events at Fatima and a lifelong love and devotion to the Blessed Mother.

This book contains many many direct quotes by Sr. Lucy and her cousins, black and white pictures are seen throughout the book. I give this little book a ** 5 out 5 rating **. This book doesn’t seem to be published anymore, but, if you do find it on E-bay or at a used bookstore, I advise you to snatch it up as you won’t be able to put it down without reading it through!

God bless all
 
40.png
Maryam:
It’s great to see reviews of some books I have not been able to get my hands on. Thanks 😃 😃

Here’s some more reviews by me:

**1) Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour **

**Review: **This book is written by a Palestinian **Melkite Priest **regarding his experiences and those of his family from before the creation of the state of Israel, to being forced to give up their home/land and the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to come.

This book is very IMPORTANT since it is written from the viewpoint of a **CATHOLIC Palestinian Melkite Priest. A viewpoint very rarely seen from an indigenous Christian vantage point. The book is detailed and straightforward without being gruesome, so you get an idea of the horrible sufferings without being put off by the descriptions. I give this book a 5 out of 5 rating in being very important in educating others on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the viewpoint of a Catholic Palestinian. **
Click to expand...
Blood Brothers really sounds like a great book. I just ordered a copy and can’t wait to read it! Thanks for the info. :tiphat:
 
Hey ** Blanka ** You’re welcome 😃 That is great that you bought the book… You are sure to enjoy it!

Let me know how it goes once you start reading it or have finished the book (which should be soon LOL and in one sitting… I could not put the book down without reading it from cover to cover!). 😃 😃 😃

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is something close to my heart and how I wish I could go back to Israel and the West Bank again… sigh … I went in 1995 and the experience is carved into my soul forever!

God bless all
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top