SUMMER READING RECOMMENDATIONS
Ahhh… summertime! If we play our cards right, the season offers us some moments of rest, relaxation and reading – by a lake, in a nearby park, in our own backyard or on the porch. If you’re looking for inspirational stories, here are some wonderful books to explore.
• The Call of the Heart, edited by Bertha Yetman: A collection of reflections on the feats of wisdom, fortitude and love of 11 Catholic women (religious and lay, from the 1800s to today) in what is now Canada. These women broke down barriers, fought for education, justice and charity, or effused a sense of silent peace.
• Wine from Raisins: A Life Transformed through Communist Gulag to Canadian Arctic, by Josef Svoboda: This gripping memoir traces the remarkable life and adventures of a political prisoner, climate change pioneer, scientist, immigrant to Canada; Svoboda was a man of profound faith, perseverance, idealism and a passionate love for all of God’s creation.
• Oscar Romero, by Kevin Clarke: This book about Archbishop Romero, the pastor-defender of the poor and great witness of the faith, offers a prism through which to view a Catholic understanding of liberation and how to be a church of the poor, for the poor. From the same series: Flannery O’Connor, by Angela Alaimo O’Donnell, and Martin Sheen, by Rose Pacatte.
• Dearest Sister Wendy… A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship, by Sister Wendy Beckett and Robert Ellsberg: A collection of almost daily letters between the authors on love, suffering, joy and the presence of grace in everyday life.
• The Unquiet Monk: Thomas Merton’s Questing Faith, by Michael W. Higgins: An in-depth look at the cultural impact of one of Catholicism’s greatest spiritual writers that travels through Merton’s solitary, passionate and brilliant mind.
• Wide Sleeves: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada, 1851–1951, by Veronica O’Reilly CSJ with Joan Driscoll CSJ: This sweeping history explores the first hundred years (1851–1951) of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada, telling the incredible story of their mission efforts to educate, heal the sick, and care for those who were physically and spiritually in need.
• The Reluctant Disciple: Daring to Believe, by David Wells: A humorous, down-to-earth and engaging account of highly acclaimed author David Wells’ journey to faith. By the same author: The Grateful Disciple: Daring to Be Loved.
• Hope: The Autobiography, by Pope Francis: This thrilling and very human memoir, moving and sometimes funny, is the fascinating story of Francis’ life. It is a touching moral and spiritual testament and legacy of hope.
• Anchor of My Soul: A Treasury of Readings on Trust and Hope: Peruse the wisdom of authors including C.S. Lewis, Emily Dickinson, Nelson Mandela, Helen Keller and Victor Hugo, along with art by Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Vermeer and Degas – a feast for the eyes and the heart on the themes of trust and hope.
And here are a few ideas for the kids in your life:
• Amazing Friendships between Animals and Saints, by Greg Kennedy; illustrated by Kerry Lyn Wilson: These often-ancient stories of animals and their saint friends offer us guidance, hope and instruction in this beautifully illustrated book.
• Saint Kateri Tekakwitha: Lily of the Mohawks, by Anne Neuberger; illustrated by Kevin Davidson: During this National Indigenous History Month, delve into the story of St. Kateri and her love for Jesus and Creation.
• Rebellious Saints: Inspiring Stories for Young People, by Christian Linker: This is a clear and honest retelling of the stories of saints who have gone against the accepted customs of their time and place in order to share God’s love with others.
Happy summer reading!
Anne Louise Mahoney is managing editor of Novalis. She is the editor of several books, including Pocket Book of Hope, and is the author of I Am and I Hope, part of the Seeds of Faith series for young children.
