The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Author(s): Humphrey Carpenter (ed.)J.R.R. Tolkien This book is not a "must read", but it is an enlightening read (best for high school and up). I have not read any other compilation of letters like this, so even the concept was new to me. There isn't a format, a thesis or an argument to unify the book. Rather, it is the life, work and times of Tolkien which generate the letters. He writes to his wife, his children, fans of his work, his publishers and various friends. The book is a subset of his letters (edited with the help of his son Christopher). Read more about The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Amata Means Beloved Author(s): Sister Mary Catharine Perry, O.P. Sister has given us a beautiful look behind the closed doors of a cloistered convent in this little gem set in post 9-11 America. It is the story of a young woman who feels called to religious life but struggles to understand God's workings. This woman had been discerning her vocation to religious life when her life is shattered by the death of her brother, a seminarian, who is killed by terrorists. She has been unable to get over the loss of this beloved brother and although she wants to, cannot forgive the men that killed him. Read more about Amata Means Beloved
Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin Author(s): Leo F. Stelten All Latin students will benefit from ready access to a Latin dictionary, but Catholic Latin students using a Catholic textbook, or reading from Church documents and the Vulgate Bible in their original Latin, will especially benefit from access to a Catholic Latin dictionary. The Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin has been written to help both seminary students and laypeople as they advance beyond their introductory Latin studies. The hardback binding, clear typeface, and non-shiny paper combine to make this book a pleasure to use. Read more about Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin
The Good Bad Boy Author(s): Father Gerald Brennan Neumann Press has reprinted another delightful novel by Father Brennan in one of its lovely hardbound editions (they also offer it in a quality softcover edition). This short, easy-to-read novel was a wonderful addition to a rainy afternoon for our family. Although aimed at an 8th-grade boy typical of the 1940s, the diary format and "everyday" charm appealed to my entire family. It would be an especially good book for a reluctant or struggling reader to tackle successfully on their own. Read more about The Good Bad Boy
Saint Thomas More of London Author(s): Elizabeth Ince An interesting and readable life of Thomas More (1477-1535): the great saint, scholar, father, lawyer, statesman, author, patriot and lover of the Church. The author, a descendant of Thomas More, has included many interesting details and anecdotes that bring this great man to life and help us better understand who he was. Even as an adult who became interested in St. Thomas More from the movie A Man for All Seasons, I found many tidbits that helped fill in the details not present in the movie – particularly regarding More's life before he became Chancellor of England. Read more about Saint Thomas More of London
Downright Dencey Author(s): Caroline Dale Snedeker This charming story, a Newbery Honor Book for 1928, has just been reprinted by Bethlehem Books. Set on the Island of Nantucket, off of Cape Cod in Massachusetts in the 1810s and 1820s, the story follows the Coffyn family in the largely Quaker community of Nantucket, and especially their daughter Dionis "Dencey". Dencey is a young girl from a proper Quaker family with a temper and a heart of gold. She befriends an outcast boy and teaches him to read in order to make up for hurting him in a fit of temper. Read more about Downright Dencey
Into Deep Eternity Author(s): Martha O'Keefe This volume contains two books "Emily's Book" and "Mary's Book" – both written for relatives of the author who were interested in learning more about Emily Dickinson. Martha O'Keefe has been studying Emily Dickinson and learning to love her and her works for sixty years. She has also written a 400 page work comparing Emily Dickinson with St. John of the Cross. Read more about Into Deep Eternity
Much Ado About Nothing This is an admirable portrayal of one of Shakespeare's great comedies beautifully filmed on location in Italy. It is a love story that also laughs at love and a drama that ends up being "Much Ado About Nothing." It is so refreshing to see that Kenneth Branagh (director, adapter and co-leading man) appreciates Shakespeare as Shakespeare rather than trying to add on modern nonsense to make it more accessible. Instead, Branagh assists in making Shakespeare's timeless story accessible through good acting, beautiful scenery and an amazingly faithful script. Read more about Much Ado About Nothing
In This House of Brede This film, originally made for British television, is based on the novel In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. It is an admirable portrayal of a woman entering a cloistered Benedictine Abbey relatively late in life and how she learns to love all - the lovable and the "unlovable" for the sake of Christ. While the glimpses of the outside world (of the 1970s) are somewhat dated in appearance - clothing, hairstyles, etc. Read more about In This House of Brede
Catholic Home Schooling Author(s): Mary Kay Clark Note: This review is based on the 1993/1998 editions of this book. The book was rewritten in 2006 and that edition has not yet been reviewed. Mary Kay Clark, who is the director of Seton Home Study has recently revised what was the first book published on Cathholic Homeschooling. It has quite a different flavor from Catholic Education: Homeward Bound and make a strong case for homeschooling from the perspective of Catholic teaching and Church documents. Read more about Catholic Home Schooling
