Catholic Lifetime Reading Lists: Books We Have Read

[Kerstin]

These are the books we have read based on the various Catholic Lifetime Reading Lists of Fr. John McCloskey, Fr. John Hardon, and Bishop Robert Barron
Current Count: 17


Carroll, Warren: The Founding of Christendom. Vol. 1 (2015)
Carroll, Warren: The Building of ChristendomThe Building of Christendom, Vol. 2 (2016)
Chesterton, G.K.: Orthodoxy (2015)
Chesterton, G.K.: The Everlasting Man (2018)
Dante: The Inferno (2018)
Dante: Purgatorio (2018)
Dante: Paradiso (2019)
Emmerich, Anne Catherine: The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (2015)
Endo, Shusaku: Silence (2016)
Kempis, Thomas á: The Imitation of Christ (2019)
Merton, Thomas: The Seven Storey Mountain (2015)
Sheen, Fulton: Life of Christ (2015)
Sheen, Fulton: Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen (2019)
St Augustine of Hippo: Confessions (2017)
St Francis de Sales: Treatise on the Love of God (2017)
St Ignatius of Loyola: The Spiritual Exercises (2016)
St Teresa of Avila: Interior Castle (2016)

[Kerstin]

Within the group we have a recurring interest on the various Catholic Lifetime Reading Lists, so I thought we could keep track here with this thread. There are other lists, but with these three we already count the titles in the hundreds, so I think this will suffice.

[Manny]

Not bad given the list only goes back a little over three years. Thanks for putting that together Kerstin.

[Kerstin]

Nerd that I am :) I put a spreadsheet together for myself once, so keeping track is no work at all.

Both the Inferno and Everlasting Man are mentioned in all three. There are only 7 works of this illustrious rank:

Karl Adam The Spirit of Catholicism
Dante Alighiery The Divine Comedy (in progress)
G.K. Chesterton The Everlasting Man (in progress)
John Henry Newman Apologia Pro Vita Sua
St Augustine of Hippo City of God
St Augustine of Hippo Confessions (read)
John of the Cross Dark Night of the Soul

[Manny]

Interesting. I don't recognize the Karl Adams book.

[Frances]

Is it all right to mention two books that haven't been mentioned, but qualify as classics of spiritual writing: Theological Investigations, Volume V, by Karl Rahner, S.J. and The Resurrection Of The Son Of God, by N.T. Wright?

[Kerstin]

Of course! These compilations never capture everything. They make for good guidelines and also make us familiar with works we otherwise would never have come across.

I have been adding to the bookshelf most of the suggestions that have come from the group. I am saying "most", because I can't guarantee I captured them all. I have also gone back in the polls and added books that were nominated but didn't win. So this will be an ongoing thing.

I had been toying with the thought of just adding a designation shelf on the bookshelf instead of opening a new topic, but the title is so wordy making it look messy and an acronym would only cause confusion.

[Kerstin]

Manny wrote: "Interesting. I don't recognize the Karl Adams book."

Yes! I hadn't heard of this one either. There must be something special about it if it is so highly recommended.

[Manny]

Kerstin wrote: "Manny wrote: "Interesting. I don't recognize the Karl Adams book."

Yes! I hadn't heard of this one either. There must be something special about it if it is so highly recommended."

He's a fellow German. And he's got a Wikipedia entry:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Ad...

His book is only 172 pages. It might make for a good club read.

[Kerstin]

Update:

These are the books we have read based on the various Catholic Lifetime Reading Lists of Fr. John McCloskey, Fr. John Hardon, and Bishop Robert Barron
Current Count: 19


Carroll, Warren: The Founding of Christendom. Vol. 1 (2015)
Carroll, Warren: The Building of Christendom Vol. 2 (2016)
Chesterton, G.K.: Orthodoxy (2015)
Chesterton, G.K.: The Everlasting Man (2018)
Dante: The Inferno (2018)
Dante: Purgatorio (2018)
Dante: Paradiso (2019)
Emmerich, Anne Catherine: The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (2015)
Endo, Shusaku: Silence (2016)
Kempis, Thomas á: The Imitation of Christ (2019)
Merton, Thomas: The Seven Storey Mountain (2015)
Sheen, Fulton: Life of Christ (2015)
Sheen, Fulton: Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen (2019)
St. Augustine of Hippo: City of God (2020 – TBD)
St Augustine of Hippo: Confessions (2017)
St Francis de Sales: Introduction to the Devout Life (2020)
St Francis de Sales: Treatise on the Love of God (2017)
St Ignatius of Loyola: The Spiritual Exercises (2016)
St Teresa of Avila: Interior Castle (2016)

[Manny]

That’s fantastic that you put that list together. You can get a real Catholic education participating in our book club.

[Kerstin]

If you scroll up it is the same list only updated.

I think it is a great credit to the group that we continuously vote for these seminal works. And with the group it is so much easier and more enjoyable to read them.

[Manny]

Kerstin wrote: "If you scroll up it is the same list only updated.

I think it is a great credit to the group that we continuously vote for these seminal works. And with the group it is so much easier and more en..."

Yes, I realized it after I said that. Silly me.