Recent reviews...

 ... of recently released Ignatius Press books include the following remarks:

• The "Eurobishop", David Hamid, on Man, the Image of God: The Creation of Man as Good News by Christoph Cardinal Schönborn:

Drawing on the insights of philosophy, theology, science and art the Cardinal reflects on what it means to say that human beings have this incomparable dignity and to claim that all the works of God in creation converge towards, and find their fulfilment in, humanity and that humanity in turn was made for a relationship with God that is made possible through the work of Christ. As the title of the book suggests, he also explains why it is good news to see human beings in this light, not simply as the end product of impersonal processes of natural selection but as the objects of God's love and of His personal and providential care. This is an important study that will be of benefit to anyone who wants to explore the common Christian belief in the unique dignity of human beings as those made in God's image and to think further about how to explain and commend this belief to others.

Read the entire review. And read the Introduction to Man, the Image of God, on Ignatius Insight: "Icons and the Mystery of Christ".

• Sarah Reinhard on Michael O'Brien's new novel, The Father's Tale: A Novel:

The Father's Tale, by Michael O'Brien, is an impressive book to look at. It clocks in over 1000 pages and is not for the faint of heart.

It's a LOT of reading.

But wow! WHAT reading!

Here's literature in the modern day, a little slice of what Dickens might look like if he were writing now. These characters are richly written and real people.

I've never been to Russia, and before I read this, I would have thought it unlikely that I would ever go. O'Brien makes his story a journey, and while you may not feel that you need to know how everything looks, I didn't find it overwhelming or to be too much.

In other words, I loved the book.

Read her entire review on the SnoringScholar blog.

• Julie Davis has recorded her thoughts about the same novel as she read it:

UPDATE 2
Obviously now at about 350 pages into the book, I'm in for the long haul. You'd think the story of a father trying to find and rescue his missing (college age) son from a religious cult would be sensational, quick paced, shocking! Well, no. However, as O'Brien tells it there is something that keeps pulling me along … he's telling the story well and I can feel for the father's uncertainty about what action to take, his constant worry about lack of funds (he's in Russia on the trail), and his worry over whether his son is being held against his will or whether this is the son's choice … and what to do if that is the case.

UPDATE 3 – 600 pages into the book
This is definitely an interesting tale in that it contrasts the usual thriller type fare of cults, being lost in a strange country with little more than the clothes on one's back, etc. with a slow, meditative pace. Even though we don't understand all that is going on, in fact we understand very little that is going on which makes us equal with the protagonist, there is food for thought sprinkled throughout the journey. I have never read Tolstoy so I can't say if this book is similar (as one endorser did), but it is definitely worth reading.

Read her entire post on the Happy Catholic's Bookshelf blog. Read the opening pages of The Father's Tale: A Novel on Ignatius Insight.

• Brandon Vogt of The Thin Veil recently read Fr. Robert Spitzer's new book, Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues:

Without resorting to religion, Spitzer explores ten universal principles that apply to every human being. They include things like:

The Principle of Non-Contradiction
The Principle of Full Human Potential
The Principle of Natural Rights
The Principle of Beneficence

He then explores how each of the principles, when obeyed, lead to full and flourishing life but, when ignored, bring dysfunction and death. One of the most interesting sections contained his commentary on the infamous Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which helped legalize abortion in 1973. Spitzer probes the decision line-by-line to show how illogical and baseless it was, and how it violates almost every one of these ten universal principles.

Read Brandon's entire review.

• Publisher's Weekly states the following about Teresa Tomeo's new book, Extreme Makeover: Women Transformed by Christ, Not Conformed to the Culture:

Have the past five decades of fighting for social and economic equality actually harmed women rather than helped them? Tomeo, a syndicated Catholic talk show host and speaker, illustrates with clear examples how this seems to be the case. The author lays out her own conversion story up front, recounting how she accepted hook, line, and sinker the Western cultural message to women that they can have everything with no consequences. After consulting contemporary sociological research to show how women have been damaged by their supposed freedoms, the author then offers the teachings of the Catholic Church as a remedy. Catholicism, she claims, is the true path to freedom for women. The Catholic Church holds up the dignity of women in a culture that communicates overly sexualized messages to young girls and treats women as objects to be used for gratification. Included are personal testimonies from women who share their spiritual life journeys. The author's passion and appreciation for her faith are commendable, although some may recoil from her conservative views. Still, the cultural challenges she presents deserve a fair hearing.

• And Nikita's Blog shares the following thoughts about Teresa's book:

I highly recommend this to all women, especially Catholic women. I would recommend also men to read this book. For it is not just about how women are being conformed to the culture but how men, too are being conformed by the actions of both.

I did find the majority of the book a great source of information, I felt myself devoted towards chapters seven and eight though. These two chapters really reflected upon a great examination of myself. It was a hard swallow, but it was the Holy Spirit I attribute for me to acknowledge that I need to take as Teresa calls a spa treatment for myself.

The one thing that literally was pulled out instantly was: "I am a daughter of the King".

Read the entire review. An excerpt from Extreme Makeover can be read on Insight Scoop: "Make a Concerted Effort to Silence the Noise in Your Life".