Recently in books Category

Me again. Yeah, I know, a lot of posts for one day but I’m waiting for the repairman and my desk has a view of the front of the house. So while I’ve been waiting I was checking out InsideCatholic.com and the online version of Crisis Mag. My sis EL used to work for Crisis before she got married and I’ve been meaning to check out their site since then. (Procrastination, anyone?) Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to see a column from one of my fave authors Danielle Bean. She always hits the point home! I also wanted to check out something EL said about their Online Book Club but I think she said it wouldn’t be up until July 14. I guess I’ll have to wait. Well, I see the guy coming up the drive so I better go. Have a blessed weekend!

Update: Here's the link for the book club.

A friend forwarded this link for the Catholic Summer Reading Program. There is a program for adults and kids. The kid’s page has a reading sheet they can color and write the names of 12 books they’ve read. They mail it in and receive a prize. There is a list of recommended books for grades kindergarten to 6th. So even your young ones can participate.

For the adults, they took a list of 64 possible books, then chose a top 10 for summer reading. Of the original 64 books, I must admit that Brian has many of them (and I mean many of them!) He is a total book lover! (Note to Brian: We’re out of bookshelf space, Sweetie!)

Here are some books I see sitting on his desk right now:
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know by Meg Meeker
God Alone: A Spiritual Biography of Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron by Gonzalo Maria Fernandez
Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life: A Practical Guide to Prayer for Active People by Robert J. Spitzer
Treatise on the Love of God by St. Francis de Sales
A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World by Carl Anderson
A Life with Karol: My Forty-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz

I enjoy reading but I tend to read only one or two at a time – one “educational� and one fiction or biography. My current reads (plus those next in line):

Passport by Christopher Blunt. (A new Catholic novel)
Spiritual Progress: Becoming the Christian You Want to Be by Thomas D. Williams
How to Raise Good Catholic Children by Mary Reed Newland
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza

(Andrew loves books as much as his dad, although he prefers eating them to reading them!)

I was surprised today when I heard that one of our favorite authors Ann Ball died a few days ago. We loved the various saint books she wrote, particularly the Faces of Holiness books. May she rest in peace and may her family be given peace and strength.

Well-loved Catholic author Ann Ball passes away.

Hi All,

Brian and I hope you are enjoying a joyous and blessed Easter season! You have been in our prayers and we hope you have been doing well.

We’d like to announce two new projects. The first is the redesign of our website. RoL has a new look that will hopefully make your visits more user friendly and enjoyable.

Second, we’re happy to let you know that the long-awaited sequel to Carmen Marcoux’s book “Arms of Love� is hot off the presses! “Surrender� picks up where “Arms of Love� left off as Joanie and Brandon start a life together as a married couple. We also look deeper into the lives of Joanie’s sisters Amie and Maggie as they explore God’s unique journey for their own lives.

You can order a copy of the book at our site. Just click http://www.revolutionoflove.com/marketplace/surrender.html. We also are offering free shipping when you order two or more books!

So be sure to check out the site, order the book, and have a wonderful Easter season!

Here are some books of Catholic fiction that I have enjoyed.

At first the storyline seemed a bit unbelievable but as I got into it I couldn't put the book down until I found out what happened!

I'm not usually into "End Times" books but this one swept me away as I followed the adventures of the holy, yet quirky, Fr. Santos as he fights the power of Satan.

Arms of Love by Carmen Marcoux
Of course, I am always eager to recommends this favorite Catholic novel! (Free shipping in December if you order from RoL!)

Speaking of Matthew Lickona, I just came across a review of his book by Kathy Shaidle for the Catholic Regsiter.

Find out for yourself. Pick up a copy of Swimming with Scapulars.

Oh, and I finally found his blog: Godsbody. Check it out.

Lately I've really been enjoying the e-zine Godspy. They have an intriguing interview with GenX Catholic Matthew Lickona, the author of Swimming with Scapulars. (In fact, as soon as I finish this post I'm purchasing the book so I can read it myself.) Here's a snippet of the interview:

Yes, there's some debate about whether the "New Faithful" Catholic revival is real or not, and whether there are hard numbers that confirm the trend. What do you think?

I don't know if there are hard numbers to confirm the trend. It seems to me like it could be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If enough stories run about how people are returning to Eucharistic Adoration, people might start to pay more attention, they might ask what it's about, and they might find the answer appealing. I've used the image of poking around in the Church's dusty basement, picking things up, examining them, and wondering why they're down there. Why did Eucharistic Adoration go away? It's time with Jesus Incarnate. What was wrong with mortification of the flesh through fasting? It's all over Scripture, and still held up by the Church as one of the three pillars�together with prayer and almsgiving�of the spiritual life. Why did the sacrament of Confession go out of style? I don't think you have to be obsessed with guilt to love the sacrament. You just have to acknowledge the reality of sin, something any Christian should be comfortable doing, since sin is the reason for the Incarnation and the Resurrection. Where there's sin, there's guilt, and hallelujah whaddya know, confession removes that stain from your soul.

Personally, if I were not a member of the New Faithful�if by that you mean a person interested in connecting with tradition and conforming to the truths proclaimed by the Church�I can't see why I would be a Catholic. If I didn't think the Church had the power to teach authoritatively in matters of faith and morals, if I didn't think those teachings were ordered to my spiritual well being and, ultimately, my salvation, I don't know why I would stay. But as it is, I think that the Catholic Church has the best grasp of the fullness of truth, so I'm all in, even if some of the teachings prove difficult to understand or obey. And perhaps most importantly, the Church has the Eucharist...

Read the full interview here.

I have enjoyed the book A Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot. For more info you can read her interview on Zenit.org.

We recently received this email from an RoL reader in IL:

Earlier this year, I ordered a copy of Arms of Love from your site. I recently came across another Catholic novel I wanted to bring to your attention --- it's absolutely amazing. It's called "Emily's Hope." Wonderful family saga that brings to life dating, courtship, chastity, NFP, and the beauty of married love. I bought it after reading a review in CCL's Family Foundations; the novel is written by an NFP instructor. I'm blown away at how well the author brings the Catholic understanding of marital intimacy alive in these pages...

Well, after a recommendation like that I got a copy of the book. I started it last night and I can tell it will be one of those "hard to put down" deals. I'll let you know what I think when I'm done but in the meantime buy a copy yourself and let me know what YOU think! Check it out at FullQuiverPublishing.com.

Brian and I went book shopping last week (as if we didn't have enough already) and there are some great titles out! So here's our current reading list -

Bobbi

A Mother's Rule of Life: How to Bring Order to Your Home and Peace to Your Soul by Holly Pierlot

We Met Online: Stories of Married Catholics Who Met Their Spouses on the Internet Edited by Anthony J. Buono

Young and Catholic: The Face of Tomorrow's Church by Tim Drake

The Legion of Christ: A History by Angeles Conde

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin (Jane is always there when I need somehting a bit "lighter".)

Brian

With God in Russia by Walter J. Ciszek

Progress in Divine Union by Raoul Plus

The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ to Your Life by Michael Dubruiel

A Closer Walk With Christ: A Personal Ignation Retreat by Raymond Gawronski

Confidential Agent: An Entertainment by Graham Greene

I just remembered I also wanted to check out Pete Vere's new book Surprised By Canon Law: 150 Questions Laypeople Ask About Canon Law. I'll have to check that out next time. Happy Reading!

There's a great new children's book out called Angel in the Waters. It is published by Sophia Press and it's about the experience of a baby and his guardian angel from the moment of conception until his birth. You can read the whole book online at angelinthewaters.com. It�s truly a beautiful story! (Not just for kids, it would be a great gift for a pregnant or new mom or dad too.)

Speaking of books, we received a book to review from the In the Arms of Mary Foundation. It is called God Alone Suffices by Slawomir Biela. Brian read it and really enjoyed it. Here's his review:

If there is one book specifically designed to help lay people develop an authentic spiritual life, God Alone Suffices is that book. After reading it twice I could not help but compare it to the spiritual classic Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade.

Author Slawomir Biela bases his book on the question: "Who or what do you rely on?" Placing this question within the context of family life, work and friendship he challenges the reader to confront their world of "reliances and illusions". With great clarity and simplicity the author unmasks those things that we normally rely on, to show that a life of holiness ultimately calls us to rely on God alone.

God Alone Suffices is thoroughly practical and inspiring. It is grounded in the spirituality of the great doctors of the interior life: John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila and Therese of Lisieux. This book will challenge you to re-evaluate your spiritual life and help you grow closer to God. I highly recommend it. It is available through the website In the Arms of Mary.org.

Hello All. I am back from our trip a little earlier than expected. We were in great need of a little cooling fog! Actually we had a wonderful time. Brian said that this was one of his most enjoyable trips and it was. I get such a recharge seeing my family, although leaving them behind again is always tough. But I am thankful we live relatively close. Heck, what's a 7 hour drive these days? And Bella is getting to be such a trooper in the car. I am so proud of her! It is also nice to be back home. No matter where you go and how much you have it is always a wonderful feeling to return to your home and simple life. (Well, "simple" in theory, at least.)

I've been reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy and I just finished The Two Towers last night. I want to finish it all before I see the final movie. It was almost 1am but I could not put the book down until I finished it! (If you hate movie ending-spoilers, skip to the next paragraph!) I was heartbroken when Sam thought Frodo was killed by Shelob. I couldn�t believe that he would die that way! There was no way that stinkin Shelob was going to end it all like that! But the tragic ending was filled with hope that all is not yet lost and Frodo could still be saved! Man, I can't wait for Bella to go to sleep tonight so I can catch a few more pages! There's nothing like reading an incredible story for the first time and not really knowing how things will turn out.

It's funny but watching LOTR and TT has been incredibly uplifting for me lately. The way society is going with so much evil and sin around that it sometimes feels like we are helpless and hopeless. It's as if there's a huge dam with a growing crack and we're trying to repair it with a band aid. You know it's only a matter of time until the dam breaks and you'll be swept away in a tide of water.

Yet when I see Frodo, Sam and the company working for a common, almost-impossible, goal and fighting a larger-than-life evil, I see us. God has placed a task in our hands (loving Him above all else and joining Him in heaven with as many people as we can help bring along with us) and in the meantime there is a powerful enemy hell-bent on making us fail. And just as Sam and Frodo had friends and gifts that helped them on the dangerous journey, we have the Sacraments and the Church to guide us and give us the strength we need to carry on and fight until the end of our days. It's something I have to remind myself often. We're in this together! love, b.

Good morning. It seems that the days I come around to post are on Tues & Fri. There's no possible way I can post daily (I don't know how you other moms do it!) so I figure twice a week is sufficient.

The other night I taped the movie THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE that was on A&E. I absolutely love all those literary classics (particularly anything Austen) and I hadn't read the novel by Thomas Hardy. It starred one of my favorite actors Ciaran Hinds (of Persuasion, Ivanhoe and Jane Erye fame.) Two of the actreses (I don't know their name off hand) were in other movies - one was Jane Fairfax in the hollywood Emma and the other was the young Jewish girl from Daniel Deronda. (That was also a good movie - I just got the DVD of it.)

Anyway, I watched the movie with Brian and man, if you're the type that needs a happy ending don't watch it! It has a lot of twists and turns and people from one scene will later tie into people from another scene, sort of Dickens style (Our Mutual Friend come to mind.) The movie felt a bit choppy at times but that could have been because of the stupid commercials. I'll know better when I watch the DVD. So although it was sad it was still enjoyable to watch and moral lessons could be gained. Besides sometimes you just need a hankie moment to have a good cry!

If you want to watch the movie it's playing again tonight on A&E. And if you liked to buy the movie there's a special through A&E, the DVD and the book for $29. And for those who've asked, yes I'll make a list of my favorite literary adaptions to post on RoL. I'll let you know when it's up. Have a great weekend guys! keep praying, b.