Books!
Steph posted a list of books/reviews a while back and I liked the idea...therefore, my semi-recent reads.
-"The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom-- An eye-opening, touching, and stark account of one family's resistance during the Holocaust. It was a page-turner. Recommended.
-"The Temperment God Gave You" by Art and Larraine Bennett-- A very interesting look at the four personality types and how they interact with each other. Occasionally it gets redundant, and I skipped over several chapers, but this book is worth reading to get a handle on the four main types and figure out what you are. It'll open up your world. Highly recommended.
-"Endangered Pleasures" by Barbara Holland-- It sounds absolutely scandalous, doesn't it? That's kind of the point this author's trying to make: that we've ceased to take pleasure in the little things in life. While there are a few shady moments, most of it is good clean reading. Chapter titles include: "Bare Feet," "Naps," "Staying In," "Color," and "Cattle." A good short read.
-"The Cross and the Switchblade" by David Wilkerson-- A book about how a country pastor moves to New York to work with troubled youth. Interesting and a good account, but probably wouldn't put it on the top of my list.
-"Characters of the Passion" by Fulton Sheen-- One of Fulton's shorter works. Interesting look at several characters surrounding Christ's passion that we usually don't even give a second glance-- like Claudia. It's not my favorite work by Fulton, but it's still good.
-"Birthday Parties in Heaven" by Ana Veciana-Suarez-- The author's account of what it was like to grow up as a Cuban-American. She has some delightful chapters about family, grief, and faith. Semi-recommended.
-"Mother Angelica: Her Life Story" by Dan O'Neill-- This book completely gave me a new appreciation for Mother Angeica and all she's done. Before I just thought of her as 'that tv nun.' Getting the back story, I now realize that she opened herself up to let God move mountains through her. Read about her story if you haven't heard it. Highly recommended.
-"Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh-- There were a few things I didn't like about the story (switching the focus of characters, etc.) but Waugh does paint an interesting family history centered around a large unusual house. I liked it.
-"Stalking the Divine" by Kristin Ohlson-- A searching Catholic's view of a convent of Poor Claires. This isn't your usual vocation's book...a really good read. I devoured it in two days. Highly recommended.
-"Portrait of a Woman" by Joseph Roccasalvo-- Besides having a somewhat sketchy cover that looks like a trashy romance novel, this book tells the story of one of the Stradavari's, the family that was renouned for making the world's best violyns. It's a story within a story within a story...and centers around an old woman at a convent. Recommended.
-"A Return to Modesty" by Wendy Shalit-- Although it may give you an emotional pit at the bottom of your stomach for the picture it paints of modern society (which sadly, is true), this woman constructs an extraordinarily good argument for the return to modesty. Not really a fast read, but good to stick through it.
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That's all for now! I'll update in a few months again when I have a new list. :o)
-"The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom-- An eye-opening, touching, and stark account of one family's resistance during the Holocaust. It was a page-turner. Recommended.
-"The Temperment God Gave You" by Art and Larraine Bennett-- A very interesting look at the four personality types and how they interact with each other. Occasionally it gets redundant, and I skipped over several chapers, but this book is worth reading to get a handle on the four main types and figure out what you are. It'll open up your world. Highly recommended.
-"Endangered Pleasures" by Barbara Holland-- It sounds absolutely scandalous, doesn't it? That's kind of the point this author's trying to make: that we've ceased to take pleasure in the little things in life. While there are a few shady moments, most of it is good clean reading. Chapter titles include: "Bare Feet," "Naps," "Staying In," "Color," and "Cattle." A good short read.
-"The Cross and the Switchblade" by David Wilkerson-- A book about how a country pastor moves to New York to work with troubled youth. Interesting and a good account, but probably wouldn't put it on the top of my list.
-"Characters of the Passion" by Fulton Sheen-- One of Fulton's shorter works. Interesting look at several characters surrounding Christ's passion that we usually don't even give a second glance-- like Claudia. It's not my favorite work by Fulton, but it's still good.
-"Birthday Parties in Heaven" by Ana Veciana-Suarez-- The author's account of what it was like to grow up as a Cuban-American. She has some delightful chapters about family, grief, and faith. Semi-recommended.
-"Mother Angelica: Her Life Story" by Dan O'Neill-- This book completely gave me a new appreciation for Mother Angeica and all she's done. Before I just thought of her as 'that tv nun.' Getting the back story, I now realize that she opened herself up to let God move mountains through her. Read about her story if you haven't heard it. Highly recommended.
-"Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh-- There were a few things I didn't like about the story (switching the focus of characters, etc.) but Waugh does paint an interesting family history centered around a large unusual house. I liked it.
-"Stalking the Divine" by Kristin Ohlson-- A searching Catholic's view of a convent of Poor Claires. This isn't your usual vocation's book...a really good read. I devoured it in two days. Highly recommended.
-"Portrait of a Woman" by Joseph Roccasalvo-- Besides having a somewhat sketchy cover that looks like a trashy romance novel, this book tells the story of one of the Stradavari's, the family that was renouned for making the world's best violyns. It's a story within a story within a story...and centers around an old woman at a convent. Recommended.
-"A Return to Modesty" by Wendy Shalit-- Although it may give you an emotional pit at the bottom of your stomach for the picture it paints of modern society (which sadly, is true), this woman constructs an extraordinarily good argument for the return to modesty. Not really a fast read, but good to stick through it.
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That's all for now! I'll update in a few months again when I have a new list. :o)