An Open Book – September #anopenbook
I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading and working on this past month.
The Voice of Angels by Nydia Hadi
Synopsis: Olivier’s life is turned upside down after a car accident. Aside from the injuries to his body, his relationship with his girlfriend has also turned sour. When everything seems to be against him, he discovers a Catholic choir group that inspires him to see life in a new light. Although he is not religious, he helps the choir and ends up learning what selfless love means.
Regina is a professional violinist and a soprano in her church choir. She is also very devoted to her faith. When she meets Olivier, a nonbeliever, her faith is challenged in a new way. Most importantly, she has to define what it really means to have faith. When her feelings for Olivier grow deeper, she’ll have to decide what to compromise—and what not to.
Will Olivier and Regina end up together? Will love conquer all?
This will be available on September 15, 2024! Now available for pre-order on Kindle.
Amazon Synopsis: In response to a world awash in sexual chaos and gender confusion, this book offers a bold and thoroughly biblical look at the meaning of the body, sex, gender, and marriage.
Bestselling author, cultural commentator, and popular theologian Christopher West is one of the world’s most recognized teachers of John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. He specializes in making this teaching accessible to all Christians, with particular attention to evangelicals. As West explains, from beginning to end the Bible tells a story of marriage. It begins with the marriage of man and woman in an earthly paradise and ends with the marriage of Christ and the church in an eternal paradise.
In our post-sexual-revolution world, we need to remember that our bodies tell a divine story and proclaim the gospel itself. As male and female and in the call to become “one flesh,” our bodies reveal a “great mystery” that mirrors Christ’s love for the church (Eph. 5:31-32). This book provides a redemptive rather than repressive approach to sexual purity, explores the true meaning of sex and marriage, and offers a compelling vision of what it means to be created male and female. Foreword by Eric Metaxas.
My review: Another excellent book by Christopher West. I didn’t learn anything new from the book, but I enjoyed this view of the Theology of the Body mostly from Scripture and targeted to non-Catholic Christians. Highly recommend!
The Oystercatcher of Southwark by Erica Colahan
Amazon Synopsis: Philadelphia, 1897—On the shores of the Delaware River, Italian Catholic Mary Paragano dreams of a happily ever after. However, when she defies her family and runs away to marry Jakob, a Jewish boy, her fairy tale takes an unexpected turn. Disowned by her father, abandoned by Jakob, and pursued by a jealous gangster, Mary’s life spirals into tragedy, culminating in accusations of attempting to harm her own children and a harrowing end in an asylum.
Philadelphia, present day—Bella, Mary’s great-great-granddaughter, grapples with the aftermath of her recent divorce. Amidst her pain, a mysterious stranger named Sophie enters her life, claiming to be related to Jakob, the man who left Mary to her devastating fate over a century ago. Together, Bella and Sophie unravel the layers of Mary’s haunting past, question the stories they’ve been told, and uncover the impact of these historical secrets on their modern-day lives.
Based on the remarkable true story of the author’s great-great-grandmother, The Oystercatcher of Southwark takes readers on a poignant journey through the immigrant neighborhoods of South Philadelphia. This deftly-woven novel explores the profound love of a mother for her children and the redemptive hope that transcends time.
My review: I‘m halfway through reading this, but really enjoying it. Review to come!
Catholic Street Evangelization: Stories of Conversion and Witness by Steven Dawson
Amazon Synopsis: This book begins with the inspiring story of Steve Dawson―his dramatic conversion to Catholicism as a young man and his founding of St. Paul Street Evangelization, an international apostolate that has grown to hundreds of teams in seven countries in just a few years.
My review: This is my latest review for Catholic Mom.
I’ve never taken the St. Paul Street Evangelization training, but my husband and I have been involved in “street evangelization” from the first moments of our dating relationship and eventual marriage. At the time, I was a cafeteria Catholic; my morals had been formed mostly by television and peers in the 1970s. Although I continued to attend Mass every Sunday, by the time I met my future husband, I was neither a committed nor faithful Catholic. With my husband’s gentle and patient approach, by the time we were married in 1982, I became enthusiastic about the Catholic faith. Together, we evangelized relatives, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Baptists, lapsed Catholics, people in line at the grocery store, and everyone in between. We used Frank Sheed’s Catholic Evidence Training Outlines to explain the faith. I wish the St. Paul Street Evangelization had been around when we were first dating and married, as it would have been helpful to us in our evangelization efforts.
The stories involve a boy who nearly killed himself taking his father’s car for a joyride, a man who murdered his father and was serving a life sentence without parole, a priest who evangelized in the inner city of Rochester, and a Brooklyn gang member who became a prodigal son, among others. One of the contributors, a police officer, had searched for a “non-confrontational way” to evangelize. In the St. Paul Street Evangelization, he found just that.
I found this book to be a delightful read, filled with stories of ordinary Catholics who have had extraordinary experiences in their evangelization efforts. While I noticed more than a few typos (unusual for a publisher like Ignatius) and inconsistent punctuation (sometimes within quotes, sometimes outside of quotes), the book’s positive aspects far outweigh the negative. I applaud the authors and contributors, and I highly recommend this book.
Amazon Synopsis: The best-selling authors of Mindhunter combine profiles of numerous well-know cases with practical advice on how to protect oneself and loved ones against violence in a study of the violent, interpersonal crimes committed against women and the elderly. 175,000 first printing.
My review: I enjoyed this book but it’s not as strong as his later books. Recommend.
Grieving Together: A Couple’s Journey Through Miscarriage by Laura Fanucci and Franco Fanucci
Amazon Synopsis: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed.” (Ps 34:19) You might feel, in the days and weeks after a miscarriage, like the Lord is anything but close.
Laura and Franco Fanucci understand. After struggling with infertility, they miscarried their third child in the first trimester. Later, their twin daughters were born prematurely and lived only a few days. Laura and Franco are here to tell you that, while your miscarriage is a deeply personal loss, you are not alone.
Grieving Together is written by a couple specifically for couples, understanding that both spouses have experienced a loss and grieve differently. Drawing from Catholic tradition and teaching, Laura and Franco gently guide you through:
The physical and emotional experiences of miscarriage — including help in making the hardest decisionsHow couples respond to grief — and how to support each otherTurning to family, friends, and the Church — finding help and support from loved ones and your Church communityThe future after miscarriage — where to go from here as a coupleGrieving Together is the book the Fanuccis had wished for after their miscarriage. Practical resources include Scripture, prayers, and official Catholic rites. It also speaks to the unique concerns of fathers, and includes many real-life stories from couples in many different circumstances.
My review: This is a well-written and well-researched book that seeks to help grieving parents who’ve lost a baby through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and stillbirth. I bought it specifically for friends of ours who recently had their second miscarriage. I’m happy to see that there are more Catholic miscarriage books than when I was going through seven miscarriages in the late 80s and 90s. Recommend.
