Adults

A Students' Guide to U.S. History

Book cover: 'A Students' Guide to U.S. History'
Author(s): 
Wilfred M. McClay
In A Students' Guide to U.S. History, author Wilfred M. McClay challenges the mind of the reader to think wider, deeper and higher about the study of American history. After explaining the purpose behind this book, he elaborates on what the study of history mistakenly is thought to be, before he realigns the reader's mind to what it should be. Taking a philosophical turn of mind, he dares the reader to search for truth; to do otherwise would be folly.

A Student's Guide to the Study of History

Book cover: 'A Student's Guide to the Study of History'
Author(s): 
John Lukacs
It is hard to believe that such skinny little books can pack such a wallop. That is what you find in this series by ISI (Intercollegiate Studies Institute) books.

From the opening pages, you gain a sense of the personal; you feel that you have picked the brain of your favorite professor over your beverage of choice, as he elaborates on his favorite subject. Since it is a professor speaking, he does not merely "tell" you his opinion, he speaks with academic authority, in both his level of language and the conviction of having taught this for many years.

501 Latin Verbs Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses

Book cover: 501 Latin Verbs Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses
Author(s): 
Richard Prior
Joseph Wohlberg

This is a dream come true for teachers, like myself, struggling to keep up with a group of teenagers studying Latin. Quite simply the book devotes one page to each of 501 verbs. Each verb has all of its endings written out completely and includes the four principle parts. Some notes at the bottom of each page offer "compound and related words", "alternate forms", "usage notes", and a model Latin sentence using the word. (These are written by famous authors of old!) The format is very user-friendly and easy to read. The verbs are arranged alphabetically in Latin.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Book cover: Uncle Tom's Cabin
Author(s): 
Harriet Beecher Stowe

There are a plethora of resources for you to find out the plot of this book out on the web and in the bookstores (eg. Cliffs Notes!!). Many contain "spoilers". And this is OK — after all it's a classic. Moreover, the book is good even if you know what is going to happen. I had the enjoyable luxury of reading this book without having run across the spoilers and with no real knowledge of the plot. I was not required to read it in school — oh happy fault.

Beginning Apologetics 1: How to Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith

Book cover: Beginning Apologetics 1: How to Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith
Author(s): 
Fr. Frank Chacon
Jim Burnham

When I first considered converting from a "mere Christianity" form of Protestantism to the Catholic faith, I had several issues to deal with. I believed that "Scripture alone" was the rule of faith. I thought that the Catholic Church had added several non-Biblical doctrines throughout the years – for example, praying to Mary and the saints and the existence of Purgatory.

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

Book cover: 'The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien'
Author(s): 
Humphrey Carpenter (ed.)
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).

Fahrenheit 451

Book cover: 'Fahrenheit 451'
Author(s): 
Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451 is on the reading list of almost every high school in America, and with good reason. It is thought provoking and hip. There are reasons to love this book and reasons to worry about it. It is Bradbury's reaction against censorship and the blossoming of television. Some of the things he writes about have come true in our time, which makes his story all the more intriguing. First the story: it is in the future, but not too far off, with global war looming. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman.

The Passion of the Christ

Book cover: 'The Passion of the Christ'
This is a powerful film; it made me weep, and turn away, and flinch. During much of the movie I was thinking, "I'm sorry, Lord, I'm sorry". My husband and I walked out of the theater barely able to speak, feeling raw and emotionally exhausted. It was absolutely the most intense movie I've ever seen, and every time I began to think, "It's only a movie", I also heard, "He really went through this."

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