The Catholic Book Blogger
What a year 2015 was. It seemed as soon as I finished a book, three more showed up for review consideration. What follows are my top picks of the 50 books I read this past year. I have stated before and will repeat again, these picks by no means lessen the others……they stood out to me as the best of the best shall we say. Without further delay here are the Catholic Book Bloggers top ten of 2015.
Praying for Priests: A Mission for the New Evangelization by Kathleen Beckman
This was one of those books that speaks to a mission that we all should be a part of. Our priests need our prayers and Kathleen Beckman is the voice telling us to go ahead and do it. Definitely a must-read and one that is extremely pertinent for our time.
Interview with Kathleen Beckman
Manual for Spiritual Warfare by Paul Thigpen
Wow. That word just about sums up how I felt as I finished this book. A fantastic read on what spiritual warfare is really about. This book also includes valuable prayers to bolster your prayer life in the battle. All of this wrapped in a beautiful leather -like cover makes this a rugged volume for daily prayer use.
The Ancient Path: Old Lessons from the Church Fathers for a New Life Today by John Michael Talbot with Mike Aquilina.
This book tells the faith journey of renowned artist John Michael Talbot and how the Early Church Fathers influenced him on that journey. The Church Fathers have a loud voice that still echoes through the ages today. Their influence is felt by many as John Michael attests to in this book.
Open Book Podcast interview with John Michael Talbot
The Prodigal You Love: Inviting Loved Ones Back to the Church by Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble.
Sister Theresa use her own story as the backdrop to show readers how to welcome their loved ones back to the faith. Undoubtedly we have family members or friends who no longer practice their faith. This is THE book to help show the way in bringing them back in a non-confrontational, and loving manner.
Interview with Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble
Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again by Mike Aquilina and James Papandrea.
Let there be no doubt that Christianity has left a large footprint on our modern society. It all began in the early years following the death and ascension of Jesus Christ. By taking a hard look at seven “revolutions” or events in the formative years of the early Church, authors Mike Aquilina and Jim Papendrea give readers an action plan on how to tackle some of today’s societal problems. The issues we face today are not new, learning from the past is how we will stop the downward spiral we see around us today.
Murder in The Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and The Watson Chronicles: A Sherlock Holmes Novel in Stories by Ann Margaret Lewis.
Okay, this is more than one title but I reviewed them together and they should be read together. Ann Margaret Lewis does a masterful job of adding Sherlock Holmes legacy. In fact, I think she did such an exceptional job, you will be hard pressed to find where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock ends Ann Margaret Lewis’ begins. Her story telling fits right in with the same feel and suspense that Doyle crafted so long ago.
Interview with Ann Margaret Lewis
Praying the Gospels with Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ: Jesus Launches His Ministry by Father Mitch Pacwa.
I have come to realize that Father Mitch does an incredible job writing books for Scripture study. This book is no different. Taking bite-sized chunks of Scripture Father leads readers on an eight-chapter journey through the early years of Jesus Christ’s ministry. It’s a great read with the promise of additional titles to come.
Interview with Father Mitch Pacwa
Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation by Matthew Kelly.
Laid out as a forty-chapter daily meditation book, this is another great offering from Matthew Kelly. The book revolves around the question of how well do you know Jesus? Do you have a personal relationship with him? Does your prayer life reflect that of a conversation with a dear friend? If not than this is the book for you. Matthew gives readers advice on how to attain and keep such a valued relationship.
For God and Country: The Heroic Life and Martyrdom of St. Joan of Arc by Father Michael Cerrone.
Father Michael Cerrone has given us a very approachable and informative book on the life of St. Joan of Arc. God and Country is a well-researched book as evidenced by the multitude of footnotes included in the book. It is a book that is not too deep and yet not a gloss over of its subject matter either.
Interview with Father Michael Cerrone
Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in Art: A Visual Prayer Book and Art Anthology edited by Patrick Flanagan.
This absolutely gorgeous book contains 280 full color paintings by 36 renowned artists. Each painting is accompanied by a brief biography of the artist. Most importantly each has a passage of scripture meant to spark meditation and prayer. This makes this volume an extremely valuable resource to enhance your daily prayer life.
Interview with Patrick Flanagan
So there you have my top ten of 2015. Some really tough choices but these to me were the best of the best. Looking forward to see what great reads 2016 has in store. I hope you are too!
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