I know this is a little late for many of you Christmas shoppers, but for those who are still thinking of the perfect gift, here are some ideas. Kathy, the director here, compiled this list of books. All are available through Amazon.com if not your local bookstore, and they will be able to get it to you before Christmas.
Celebrating local authors:
- Fr. Michael Crosby: “Thank God Ahead of Time: The Life and Spirituality of Solanus Casey” – Fr. Mike, a local priest and the author of several books, wrote about Solanus Casey who attended St. Francis Seminary and is now being considered for sainthood.
- Fr. Bryan Massingale: “Racial Justice and the Catholic Church” – Fr. Bryan, a Milwaukee Archdiocesan priest and moral theologian who taught at St. Francis Seminary and now teaches at Marquette University, describes his experiences in the church in a manner that will touch all Catholics.
- Jacqueline Hansen Maggiore: “Vessel of Clay: The Inspirational Journey of Sister Carla” – This local author writes about her childhood friend from Wisconsin, Sr. Carla, who becomes a missionary and a saintly role model for all.
- Sr. Josephe Marie Flynn: “Rescuing Regina: The Battle to Save a Friend from Deportation and Death” – Sr. Josephe’s story of confronting the immigration issue and saving a member of her parish recently made local news.
Books to read to or with young people:
- J. R. R. Tolkein: “Lord of the Rings” – The three books of this classic trilogy by a Catholic author are a long read aloud but well worth the time invested for the joy of a good story.
- Harper Lee: “To Kill a Mockingbird” – Set after World War II in the South, this book provides ethical issues on almost every page for children and adults to consider.
Fiction for pleasure of reading:
- Sigrid Undset: “Kristin Lavransdatter” – The author won a Nobel Prize in 1928 for this novel about Catholic life set in medieval Norway.
- Graham Greene, “The Power and the Glory” – A priest finds redemption in Mexico when God is outlawed.
- Rumer Godden: “In This House of Brede” – This book presents a classic example of living in religious community.
- Marilynne Robinson: “Gilead” – The author won a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Critics Circle Award for this story of an elderly minister.
Some additional ideas from me:
- “Catholicism,” the DVD documentary by Fr. Robert Barron and Word on Fire. I bought this for my parents for Christmas, and I have heard nothing but good responses to the series.
- “1493” and “1491” by Charles Mann. “1491” was written in 2005 and takes an in-depth look at America before Columbus, and “1493” is his newer book looking at the exchange of flora and fauna since the discovery of the New World.
As always, if you have any ideas and comments for things I could change, please let me know. If you have any books that you have read or have read the books I mention, please leave a comment. We here at Salzmann also want to know what people are reading. These are always appreciated, and anything I can do to make this better I will strive my best to accomplish.
Here is some of the basic information about the library:
- Our standard hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays, 12 to 8 p.m.; Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Dec. 18 through Jan. 2, 2012.
- Our address is 3257 S. Lake Dr., St. Francis, WI 53235, right next to Henni Hall, due west of the South Parking Lot.
- The library’s phone number is (414) 747-6479. If you would like to contact me through email, it is mschrauth@sfs.edu.
- There is free Wi-Fi available.
- “Like” us on Facebook – Salzmann Library.
- The library catalog is available online.
