The Anchoress has posted her Lenten reading suggestions, prompting me to put up my own intended list here. You must understand that between work, commuting and home duties, I don’t have enormous amounts of time on my hands, so I am trying to be realistic about the number of books I can actually get through between now and Easter. (I know that there’s no rule that says a book started for Lent must be finished in Lent, but I am neurotic enough to try for such a goal.)
Anyhoo, here’s what I have in store:
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. I once started highlighting quotes in this book but had to give it up because I found myself highlighting everything.
An Introduction to Christianity and Jesus of Nazareth by Benedict XVI. I’ve not read the former yet. The latter is superb.
The Confessions by St. Augustine. His is one of my patrons, after all, and this book has become something of a Lenten tradition for me.
The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. Always good to keep an eye on what’s going on in the enemy’s camp. I also hope to start The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe with the nine year old very shortly, as she and Mrs. R are almost done with the Little House series.
A Short History of Thomism by Romanus Cessario. I forget who recommended this to me, but I bought it some time back with the idea of reading it now. I know enough of Aquinas to admire him (and indeed, to select him as another of my patrons) but not enough to articulate what it is that I admire in words. Seems silly, but I’m going largely on faith and trust here. I may also reread Chesterton’s The Dumb Ox as well.
The New Testament – KJV. I understand that my beloved KJV is at least tolerated by Rome, so until the Vatican says cut it out, I will do my personal reading from that one.
As I say, the list is fairly short. But it’s no good reading a book if I’m just going to fly through it at lightning speed and not take anything in.
Of course, I’m always open to other suggestions, so feel free to comment away!
6 comments
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February 26, 2009 at 4:19 pm
S. Freud
Yes.
Nothing Serious by PG Wodehouse.
February 26, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Robbo
Don’t recognize any of those stories off hand. But I think I’m going to save Plum for after Easter.
February 26, 2009 at 7:12 pm
the gripping hand
Ambitious list – I wish you good luck. The Young Master is reading excerpts of the The Confessions in his 7th grade class at the moment, having just finished The Odyssey. I used to pride myself on being well-read, but the kid are going to overtake me in short order if they keep up with this sort of reading list.
February 26, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Father M.
I suggest “Introduction to the Devout Life” by St. Francis de Sales.
February 26, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Robbo
Padre – Done and done. And thankee!
February 26, 2009 at 11:31 pm
The Abbot
Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man is also a good one. As for the KJV, while I admire it for its use of language, I find that Bishop Challoner’s language is also very solid, and his accuracy is better. I line the KJV up with Challoner and I find that the former takes liberties (I check them against my Stuttgart Vulgate when I find discrepancies). For my theology classes, I use the Catholic version of the RSV. (The old RSV, not the new RSV). I take comfort in the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat, as I am a slave to the Magisterium.
I find that I learn a lot from commentary, too — in my class, we read from the New Jerome Bible Commentary, and I have found in my course (which is on the Gospel of St. John), the Catena Aurea of St. Thomas Aquinas (translated by Newman, no less) is a good guide. I read a verse and I say to myself, “Ah, but what does Chrysostom say?” Aquinas took the trouble to compile a summary of writings of the fathers and put them parallel with the Bible, line by line. He only did the New Testament, and so far, I only have the two volumes on John, but they are great. You get that feeling of reading “sentire cum ecclesia”. I also have a Navarre edition of the gospel of John, and its commentary is also very solid.