Book picks similar to
Soldier of Christ by Robert A. Ventresca
biography
history
european-history
nonfiction
Further Up & Further In: Understanding Narnia
Joseph Pearce - 2018
Lewis’ magical land entered through that most important wardrobe in literary history. Beloved by generations of readers, The Chronicles of Narnia are thought, erroneously, by some to be “mere children’s stories.” In this volume, Pearce thoroughly debunks the error as he skillfully explains why there is nothing “mere” about such stories. Rather, the Narnia books contain profound insights concerning the human condition. Pearce, however, goes beyond even that and illuminates the deeper riches and profound truths found therein: the highest truths, in fact, those concerning God. Join Pearce as he explores the “grown-up” themes that are so important for a proper understanding of Lewis’ magnificent creation, including the deep and profound Christian symbolism, extensive literary allusions, and the constant theme of temptation, sin, and redemption. The author of numerous literary works and an authority on the writings of Lewis, Chesterton, and Tolkien, Pearce is uniquely qualified to examine the deeper theological, philosophical, and historical dimensions of the Chronicles. With Pearce as your guide, “return to Narnia,” and come to understand in new and profound ways that place which has so marked the imaginative landscape of so many. Rediscover your love for Narnia, because “wardrobes are for grown-ups too.”
Millennium: From Religion to Revolution: How Civilization Has Changed Over a Thousand Years
Ian Mortimer - 2016
It is a journey into a past vividly brought to life and bursting with ideas, that pits one century against another in his quest to measure which century saw the greatest change.We journey from a time when there was a fair chance of your village being burned to the ground by invaders — and dried human dung was a recommended cure for cancer — to a world in which explorers sailed into the unknown and civilizations came into conflict with each other on an epic scale. Here is a story of godly scientists, fearless adventurers, cold-hearted entrepreneurs, and strong-minded women — a story of discovery, invention, revolution, and cataclysmic shifts in perspective.Millennium is a journey into the past like no other. Our understanding of human development will never be the same again, and the lessons we learn along the way are profound ones for us all.
The Dream King: How the Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. Is Being Fulfilled to Heal Racism in America
Will Ford - 2018
Is the dream of equality Dr. King envisioned still alive today? Can our historic national hurts still be healed? How can we rise above the racial tension threatening the nation? The Dream King is the astonishing true story of two men whose lives are woven together by history and the hidden hand of God. It reveals an inspiring narrative that exposes systemic injustice and delivers new keys for understanding the nation’s past, present, and future. • Learn about the nation’s hidden history and the unknown heroes who overcame injustice. • Discover how your life is an important part of a much bigger story. • Be equipped to be a countercultural dreamer and change the world around you.
A Life with Karol: My Forty-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope
Stanisław Dziwisz - 2007
I was always with him, always at his side. Now, in the moment of death, he’d gone on alone. . . .And now? Who is accompanying him on the other side?”—From A Life with KarolCardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz worked side by side with Pope John Paul II for almost forty years, enjoying unique access to both the public and private man. In A life with Karol, he provides a close-up glimpse into the Pope’s life and the critical events of his papacy. Dziwisz was sitting next to the Pope during the assassination attempt in 1981. He recounts the Pope's reaction to 9/11, describing his thoughts and feelings on that day. And the Cardinal’s moving description of the Pope’s haunting memories of World War II uncovers the roots of the pontiff’s intense opposition to George W. Bush’s war on Iraq.The two men shared moments of fun and spontaneity as well. Dziwisz writes about the times the Pope would slip out of the Vatican, wearing a Panama hat, to stroll the streets of Rome, and he describes the clandestine ski and hiking trips the pair made to escape the Vatican. His firsthand account of the Pope’s last years also reveals that John Paul II considered resigning. These stories and others lend added poignancy to Dziwisz’s extraordinary portrayal of the Pope’s courage and calmness during his final illness.
Forty Reasons I Am a Catholic
Peter Kreeft - 2018
And that's just in ordinary matter, which makes up only 4.9% of the universe, the rest being dark matter and dark energy.Each of my reasons is an independent point, so I have not organized this book by a succession of chapters or headings. After all, most readers only remember a few big ideas or separate points after reading a book. (I've never heard anyone say "Oh, that was a good continuous-process-of-logically-ordered-argumentation" but I've often heard people say, "Oh, that was a good point."Which takes me back to my main point: "Why are you a Catholic" is a good question.A good question deserves a good answer.Here are forty of mine.
Dion: The Wanderer Talks Truth (Stories, Humor Music)
Dion DiMucci - 2011
He continued to make great music while slowly returning to his Catholic roots. His hard-won wisdom filters through his stories whether he's recalling how he went shopping with John Lennon and ended up on the cover of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band or what it was like to travel in the Jim Crow South with Sam Cooke.Praise for Dion... "To this day nobody, nobody can rock like Dion."—Lou Reed "He always had the name that said it all...Dion."—Bruce Springsteen "If you want to hear a great singer, listen to Dion. His genius has never deserted him."—Bob DylanThe audio edition of this book can be downloaded via Audible.
Stunned by Scripture: How the Bible Made Me Catholic
John Bergsma - 2018
Bergsma once considered obstacles to ever becoming Catholic himself. Over an eighteen-month spiritual journey, Bergsma was stunned again and again by the biblical support he found for even the stickiest teachings of the Catholic Church.Weaving his personal story into clear explanations of Catholic teachings as found in Scripture, Dr. Bergsma explores seven key Catholic doctrines, including:
The Pope
Devotion to Mary
Confession
The Eucharist
The priesthood
Belief in the Bible alone
Salvation by faith alone theologies
Stunned by Scripture will help Catholics understand, defend, and explain the biblical basis for the Faith and show them how the Bible solidly supports even the most frequently misunderstood Catholic teachings.
Growing Up Catholic: The Millennium Edition: An Infinitely Funny Guide for the Faithful, the Fallen and Everyone In-Between
Mary Jane Frances Cavolina - 1984
Now, to commemorate the Great Catholic Jubilee of the Year 2000, the authors bless us with an updated and expanded version of this beloved national bestseller. Filled with a witty, poignant, and downright hilarious potpourri of essays, lists, games, drawings, photos, and quizzes, it includes the best of all three Growing Up Catholic books, along with many all-new features, such as:Jubilee 2000: Not Your Average Birthday PartyFather Phil: Confessor to the SopranosWho Will Be The Next Pope?: A Handicapper's GuideAnsubstantiationtray: Can't Anybody Here Speak Latin Anymore?www.holy.comFor Catholics of all ages -- from those who lived through Vatican II to those who've never seen a nun's habit except in a movie -- Growing Up Catholic celebrates in a lighthearted way the funny and sublime side of day-to-day Catholic life.
A Saint and a Sinner: The Rise and Fall of a Beloved Catholic Priest
Stephen H. Donnelly - 2020
Where the Soul Hungers: One Doctor’s Journey from Atheism to Faith
Samuel Morris Brown - 2021
Brown was an atheist from an early age and proud of it. Yet, by his own account, God became an undeniable presence in his life. Now a faithful Latter-day Saint, this practicing research physician narrates some of the waypoints on his journey into believing and belonging. Some are dramatic—his wife’s cancer diagnosis or working in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic—while many are simple yet profound: being mistaken for a homeless person while a student at Harvard, growing to like little children and opera, and learning to bake cookies for others. With gentle, self-critical humor and a generous regard for those who have accompanied him on his way, Brown’s book is an offer to walk with you a while on your own journey of faith.
Franklin: A Life of Brilliance (The True Story of Benjamin Franklin) (A Concise Historical Biography)
Alexander Kennedy - 2016
He was a founding father of the United States, revolutionized our understanding of electricity, and personifies American culture throughout the world. Enjoy the surprising and entertaining true story of Benjamin Franklin and rediscover one of history's most prolific figures.
Handcarts to Zion: The Story of a Unique Western Migration, 1856-1860
Leroy R. Hafen - 1992
Many of the three thousand hardy souls who trudged across thirteen hundred miles of prairie, desert, and mountain from 1856 to 1860 were European converts to the Mormon faith. Without funds for wagons and oxen, they carried their possessions in two-wheeled carts powered and aided by their own muscle and blood. Some of the weary travelers would finally be welcomed by their brethren in Salt Lake City; others would go to wayside graves or get caught in early winter storms in the Rockies and hope to be rescued by the parties sent out by Brigham Young. The migration is described in Handcarts to Zion, which draws on diaries and reports of the participants, rosters of the ten companies, and a collection of the songs sung on the trail and at "The Gathering." LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Hafen dedicated the book to his mother, Mary Ann Hafen, who wrote about the long journey in Recollections of a Handcart Pioneer of 1860: A Woman’s Life on the Mormon Frontier, also a Bison Book.
General Catholic Devotions
Bonaventure Hammer - 2010
You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
21 Speeches That Shaped Our World: The people and ideas that changed the way we think
Chris Abbott - 2010
He examines the power of the arguments embedded in these speeches to inspire people to achieve great things, or do great harm. Abbott draws upon his political expertise to explain how our current understanding of the world is rooted in pivotal moments of history. These moments are captured in the words of a range of influential speakers including: Emmeline Pankhurst, Martin Luther King, Jr, Enoch Powell, Napoleon Beazley, Kevin Rudd, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Osama bin Laden, Margaret Beckett, Winston Churchill, Salvador Allende, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Tim Collins, Mohandas Gandhi, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Robin Cook and Barack Obama. The speeches in this book are arranged thematically, linked by concepts such as 'might is right', 'with us or against us' and 'give peace a chance'. Each transcript is accompanied by an insightful commentary that analyses how the words relate to our modern society. Fresh and relevant, this is a book that will make you stop in your tracks and think about what is really happening in the world today.
What It Means to Be a Christian
Benedict XVI - 2006
As he recently emphasized in his first encyclical, he talks a lot about the meaning of love, the love of God and of neighbor; as well as the importance of a lived faith as a witness for our age and striving to bring faith in line with the present age.