My big, year-long, Catholic reading project for 2024... insightful, inspirational, informative. Read alongside the audiobook/podcast "Saint Faustina'sMy big, year-long, Catholic reading project for 2024... insightful, inspirational, informative. Read alongside the audiobook/podcast "Saint Faustina's Diary in a Year" by Fr Joe Roesch of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception who provided some commentary on each day's portion of text....more
I tend to avoid reading nonfiction about climate change as it feels like an overwhelming/hopeless topic, but I heard an interview with this author on I tend to avoid reading nonfiction about climate change as it feels like an overwhelming/hopeless topic, but I heard an interview with this author on CBC radio and was immediately interested in checking out this book... and then read the whole thing in 24 hours! This was a fascinating discussion about "ice patch archeology": the study of artifacts that are melting out of glaciers and perennial ice patches as the earth warms up. The book details some of the most scientifically significant finds since the early '90s and uses them as the basis for an anthropological study of the human relationship with ice and alpine environments from the neolithic period forward. There was a portion at the end of chapter 8 about generational environmental amnesia that actually got me a little emotional. Overall, it ended on a positive note about the enduring adaptability of humans to changing environments....more
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and parts that I really did not (as evidenced by it taking me 5 months to finish reading). The firThere were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and parts that I really did not (as evidenced by it taking me 5 months to finish reading). The first half was definitely stronger to me than the second half. The first chapter or two that described the founding of Pleasant Company and some of Pleasant Rowland's inspirations were really interesting. This book is a spin off of a podcast that I have never listened to... there were a lot of attempts at humour and cultural references that fell flat for me in the written format that maybe would be better suited in a podcast setting. There was also a lot of navelgazing about the authors' lives that I didn't really care about, again likely because I'm not parasocially invested in them from years of podcast listening....more
"Becoming Janet" by Janet Singer Applefield is a memoir of the author's experience as a child survivor of the Holocaust. Growing up in a small town in"Becoming Janet" by Janet Singer Applefield is a memoir of the author's experience as a child survivor of the Holocaust. Growing up in a small town in Poland surrounded by her extended family, the book opens with vignettes from the few years of idyllic happiness before Hitler's invasion in 1939 when she was just 4 years old. The book goes on to chronicle her experiences through the duration of the war including how her parents made the difficult decision to leave her in the care of a Polish nanny while they split up to try to ensure at least one parent would survive to find her after the war. Her fair complexion allowed her to pass convincingly as non-Jewish, and there were a number of different families that cared for her over the years while she kept her true identity a secret. After the war ended she was placed in an orphanage for Jewish children that was frequently attacked and forced to change locations. Eventually her father was miraculously reunited with her and found a way to immigrate to America and begin a new chapter of their lives together.
The story of her wartime experiences are bookended by a first and last chapter describing her experience giving talks to students at middle/high schools. Since this is an expanded version of the author's school presentation, it is suitable reading for older middle schoolers or high school age teens, as well as worthwhile reading for any adult audience. I read the whole book in one day because I found the story so gripping and powerfully told.
As the years run out on having living Holocaust survivors, it is so important that their stories are recorded for future generations in books like this for future generations to read and learn from. Now more than ever it is critical that the insidious lies of anti-semitism are exposed and dismantled.
*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Cypress House/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*...more
"Vincent: A Graphic Biography" by Simon Elliott tells the story of the life of Vincent Van Gogh from his childhood in the Netherlands all the way up t"Vincent: A Graphic Biography" by Simon Elliott tells the story of the life of Vincent Van Gogh from his childhood in the Netherlands all the way up to his tragic end. Rather uniquely this story is told through the eyes of his sister-in-law Johanna, who was married to his beloved brother Theo. The epilogue tells in more detail how Johanna played the key role in building Vincent's legacy after he and Theo both died within a few months of each other, leaving her an impoverished, widowed single mother with not much besides a huge collection of Vincent's art that she knew deserved more recognition and could eventually be worth a fortune. Learning more about her dedication to ensuring his art would live on was my favourite part of the book! I also enjoyed the way that the art style used throughout the book often mimicked Vincent's distinctive brushstrokes.
My only drawback with the reading experience is that I do wish that this book would have taken more advantage of exploring the graphic novel format to have comic-strip storytelling with dialogue bubbles etc. This is more of a heavily illustrated biography in that each page has a few essay-esque paragraphs of Vincent's story and is accompanied by corresponding illustrations.
Despite the colourful artwork potentially appealing to children, I would not recommend this to an audience any younger than high school age because of the frank descriptions and illustrations of Vincent's mental health struggles and suicide attempts as well as one page that includes nudity in a sexual context.
If you are looking for an easy-to-read introduction to the life of one of the most famous painters in the world, I think this book is a fantastic starting point! I particularly enjoyed learning more about the first half of his life... I feel like I know quite a bit about his later, more artistically prolific, years after visiting numerous exhibits of his work including the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. However, I did not know many details about his childhood and time spent as a teacher and missionary, so I found that quite fascinating.
*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Quarto Publishing Group � White Lion | Frances Lincoln through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.* ...more
"Behold, Believe, Become" by Timothy P. O'Malley examines deeper meanings behind various elements of the Mass in 15 short chapters that take the reade"Behold, Believe, Become" by Timothy P. O'Malley examines deeper meanings behind various elements of the Mass in 15 short chapters that take the reader from the entrance door of the church all the way to the closing recessional with reflections about holy water, the nave, the altar, candlelight, and more in between. Each chapter ends with a few questions for personal meditation or as the launch for discussion if this book was to be used for study in a small group. Focused on the physical, tangible aspects of the sacramental worldview, I found this book to greatly enrich my experience attending Mass.
I think this book would be a wonderful gift for new converts, an excellent reference for reverts who are returning to the faith, and the chapters are straightforward enough to be suitable for teen confirmands. This is definitely a book that I will consider buying physically for my Catholic bookshelf!
DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Ave Maria Press through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. ...more
“Meet Ella� was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and it certainly did not disappoint!
There are many reasons to read this book: an hones“Meet Ella� was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and it certainly did not disappoint!
There are many reasons to read this book: an honest account of a man’s mental health struggles and journey to healing; beautiful nature writing describing scenic rambles in the Lakes District and Scottish Highlands; the charming vignettes of Middleton and Wales family life; a coming of age memoir from a boy bullied and misunderstood at boarding school to successful entrepreneur, husband, and father. But at its heart this is the very relatable story of the deep bond that a human shares with a beloved dog.
I have followed James on the periphery of royal events for more than decade and when he opened up his Instagram profile fell in love with his adorable and energetic pack of dogs. I felt like I already knew so much of Ella, Mabel, Zulu, Nala, and the rest of the canine crew! At times, especially in the second half, the writing in this book had quite a James Herriot feel to it that I think would appeal to lots of readers who enjoy stories of animals and English country life.
Overall, I found this a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming read� highly recommend it to lovers of memoir. It will certainly end up on my 2024 non fiction favourites list!...more
Song of Songs has always been a fairly opaque Biblical book for me, one where I’m not quite sure exactly what it is saying or why it was included. I lSong of Songs has always been a fairly opaque Biblical book for me, one where I’m not quite sure exactly what it is saying or why it was included. I loved this books perspective using Song of Songs as a typology for Mary and illuminating how she fulfilled the role of the Bride in Songs through her union with the Trinity and how we, in the Church, are called to that as well. I marked many favourite passages with flags, and this is going on my list of favourite Mariology books for sure!...more
Just as much a poorly researched, badly written, and self aggrandizing hit piece as Finding Freedom but without nearly as much previously unknown juicJust as much a poorly researched, badly written, and self aggrandizing hit piece as Finding Freedom but without nearly as much previously unknown juicy insider gossip to at least make it entertaining....more
"With God You Are Never Alone: The Great Papal Addresses" is a collection of ten pivotal speeches made by Pope Benedict XVI over the course of his pon"With God You Are Never Alone: The Great Papal Addresses" is a collection of ten pivotal speeches made by Pope Benedict XVI over the course of his pontificate. Ranging from his first papal homily to a moving speech given at Auschwitz-Birkenau to presentations given at national parliaments to an address at World Youth Day to his final general audience, these ten addresses are an excellent introduction to Benedict XVI's theology and priorities during his time as Pope as well as his global role and impact. Most of the speeches are fairly short, with a reading time of about 10 minutes per address, but the brevity is made up for by the depth and richness of Benedict XVI's thought. I would recommend this book to any Catholic looking for a good introductory starting place with Benedict XVI's extensive theological writing.
*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Bloomsbury USA, Bloomsbury Continuum through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*...more
"Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness" is a wonderfully unique collection of Saint stories. Many of the"Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness" is a wonderfully unique collection of Saint stories. Many of these Saints and their stories are not as well known as some of the more famous Saints, but their stories are still fascinating and convicting. Meg Hunter Kilmer has managed to find a wide diversity of Saints to feature from all over the world, a variety of ages and socio-economic stages, throughout the timespan of history, and representing a range of vocations and states in life.
The stories are split across 12 different thematic sections including "Saints who defied expectations", "Saints who never gave up", "Saints who lived ordinary lives", and "Saints who had difficult families". Within these sections, there is a brief introduction to the theme and then each individual Saint's story is between 2-4 pages. The heading of each story includes their name, years of life, country, feast day, and a catchy one-liner that encapsulates their life. At the end of the book, there are a number of indexes that are very useful if you want to look up a particular Saint alphabetically, in chronological order of the century they lived in, their feast day, country/region of origin, or topically based on key elements of their stories or challenges that they overcame.
I think this book would be perfect for teens around Confirmation age or adults looking for short, inspirational stories to add to their daily devotional time. I ended up buying a physical copy of this book after receiving the eARC copy because it is one that I wanted as a permanent fixture on my Saint book shelf!
*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Ave Maria Press through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*...more
Reading "Letter to His Father" felt almost emotionally voyeuristic, especially when I found out that his father never ended up reading this letter befReading "Letter to His Father" felt almost emotionally voyeuristic, especially when I found out that his father never ended up reading this letter before his death. There is a lot of deeply personal pain expressed in the pages that it often seemed that I was intruding on a private conversation....more
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