I read several thought-provoking books in May! Only one of the eight wasn’t what I thought it would be. Several of these books are ones I would highly recommend! Here’s what I read in May:
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
Theo of Golden is a profound book about human connection. Do we really look at people at listen? An older man named Theo moves to the town of Golden in the South and finds a café where portraits of people around town are for sale on the wall. He starts buying them, writing a letter to the person drawn, setting up a meeting and asking them their story while giving them the portrait. He makes deep connections and truly listens. However, along the way, he reveals very little about himself. When tragedy strikes and all is revealed, they find out who he truly was and it surprises them all. I really enjoyed this book and the lesson it tells is important.
Holy Silence by Fr. Basil Nortz
I read Holy Silence over the course of a few months during Adoration at church. It was very profound. Twelve aspects of life are talked about and how we can quiet those areas to make more room for God. I will be re-reading this book.
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
Travels with Charley was in my decently large to-read pile. It was interesting, but it showed that it was written by an older man who was set in his ways and opinions. It’s about Steinbeck’s cross-country road trip with his dog, Charley, to see what America is like after spending so much time living in New York City and Europe.
The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem
The Fault Between Us is a historical fiction book set in 1959 in Yellowstone. Three sisters are finding their way in adulthood after growing up in a house where their mother left them. Their father is still holding on too tightly. One sister is a nurse still living near home but has plans to move out. The next sister has married a man in the Yellowstone wilderness where her father thinks living is unsafe. The youngest is a bit wild and can’t wait to leave. When they all end up in Yellowstone one summer, family secrets will be revealed and an earthquake will strike.
Francis of Assisi’s Sermon on the Mount by John Michael Talbot
It’s the Jubilee Year of St. Francis so I plan to read some books about him. I had hoped for more from Francis of Assisi’s Sermon on the Mount. It was more the author’s commentary on St. Francis’ admonitions than about St. Francis himself. It was interesting, but not what I expected.
Prudence by Fr. Gregory Pine
What is prudence? It’s doing the right thing for the right reasons. However, it has to be ordered with other virtues. Prudence explores how to live all of that out in our daily lives. Fr. Pine does a great job of starting with the basics of virtues and then moving on to prudence and what role that specifically plays in people’s lives.
I Believe in Love by Jean du Coeur de Jesus d’Elbee
I was part of a book study that read through I Believe in Love. It’s written as a retreat book and does require some time to focus as the book is full of spiritual gems. A lot of the book is based on St. Therese’s writings and life. “You do not believe enough in merciful love.” The book is full of profound quotes like these.
Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser
In Mona’s Eyes, ten-year-old Mona goes blind for 45 minutes one day. The doctors can’t figure out why, but as part of her plan to help her, she is encouraged to see a psychiatrist. Her grandfather takes on that job and without telling her parents decides the best medicine he can give her is a piece of artwork every week to hold in her memory in case the blindness comes back. So, every week, they visit a museum and view a single piece of artwork and study it. Not only do they appreciate the art and go over art history, each artwork has a lesson for life.
There is a Web site that has all of the artwork mentioned: www.monaseyegallery.com.
Share what you’ve been reading in the comments below!