Saint The Books

John Bower has published several photography books and this is my very favorite. He manages to capture a strong "sense of place" and the selection of photos is really wonderful. This book was a true labor of love on his part, given the distances and time involved.

I have always been fascinated with cemetery art, from visits during Memorial Day to photography for both undergrad studies and for personal pleasure. If you share my interest in cemetery art, please do not pass up the opportunity to read and own "Guardians of the Soul".

The financial costs and miles on John Brower's odometer were well worth his efforts in creating such a beautiful masterpiece. Each photo is taken in black and white (which shows off each line and curve in his subjects). My only wish is that he would also list the names of the cities Brower took the photos from, rather than just the counties (I'm a fellow Hoosier, too, but I don't know the county system as well).

Again, please pick up this book. A superb example of not only a great Indian read, but also a wonderful study of how photography taken from cemteries can be awe-inspiring rather than morbid.

I purchased this book to use for RCIA. We did the "Why are you crying" meditation, and it deeply touched all the participants. I will definately use this book again. The meditations are easy to use with well written instructions, reflection questions, and optional art expression projects to do following the meditations. Our participants especially liked the art expression excercise. It gave them time for some out-pouring of what they experienced during the meditation, and then were able to share with the group.
I highly reccommend this for anytime of the year, as each Sunday we celebrate the Paschal Mystery.
If you are looking for an alternative type of prayer for your group or yourself, buy this.

During my years as a secondary religious studies teacher, I found Jane's meditations to be an extremely helpful aid in the goal of introducing teens to the practice of prayer and contemplation. The response of my students to these meditations was tremendous, and they were sincerely grateful for such genuine experiences of personal prayer. I highly recommend them to any catechist or religious educator. If you can get all of the various editions of Jane's guides, you will find that each of them fills its own niche for the various seasons and celebrations of the liturgical year. Once I arrived at Boston College to do doctoral work at the Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, I was delighted to find that Jane and I shared classes together! She is a person of faith and energy and her work is to be applauded. Try it with the teens with whom you work and you will be amazed at their positive response.

This book was informative and interesting. I recommend anyone read it.

Just finished reading Dr. Tim Morrison's book, Healing Plants of the Bible. Wow! His research is amazing...and then he took all that information and presented it in a way that it's not only educational but interesting as well. I can hardly wait to see what he writes next!

As a first introduction to the writings and teachings of St. Theophan this book is excellent.

It covers not only the main events in St. Theophan's life, but also interesting details of his form of monkhood, of his vast correspondence, and a general presentation of his writings concluding with a sound study of The Way of Salvation, his main book.

Those who want to study St. Theophan's writings further will have many thousands of pages to enjoy!

Theophane's writings of full of piercing insights into the human condition and the path to union with God. Theophane is a guide along the Bhakti path, pointing out it's pitfalls and the essentials needed for success. I have read this book over and over again and each new reading I glean many new insigts.

"Canonized in 1999, Champagnat was an early member and priest of the Society of Mary and founder of its Little Brothers (the Institute of the Marist Brothers). Author Sammon is the Vicar General of the Marist Brothers and he presents in an easy-to-read manner the difficult times and life of St. Marcellin Champagnat. Born during the Revolution in France, he lived only fifty-one years. In the seminary, he was part of a group "made up of seminarians who were a familiar sight in the taverns of the town." Sammon writes for the modern temperment that needs to know the warts along with the shining myth. The heresy of Jansenism, a moral theology for the elect, influenced Marcellin's study for awhile. He began teaching and "by February 1822 the Institute was made up of ten brothers." There is the miracle in the snow, a serious illness from which he recovers, persistent financial problems for the schools, and an environment of increasing bitter anti-religious sentiment during the revolution in France. Simplicity and humility were Champagnat's outstanding virtues. This is the tale of a man growing past his problems to sainthood. Sammon writes with that same simplicity and humility, and with a fine erudition that moves comfortably from prayer to revolution, from submissiveness to the cry for social justice. Illuminating."

Sean Sammon's short biography of St. Marcellin Champagnat is definitely worth reading for anyone who is interested in the life of the Catholic Church and the people they call "Saints".

Sammon is able to describe, in a very uncomplicated way, the historical, sociological and theological background of this man who was born the same year as the French Revolution. Marcellin Champagnat started his life with little education, and through hard work, eventually studied and became a priest and founder of an international Congregation of Roman Catholic teaching Brothers, the Marist Brothers of the Schools.

The book details the life of this very down to earth man. Champagnat was a priest who sometimes defied the stereotypes of priesthood of his day, even to the point of actually building the houses his Brothers would live in. He had an undying love for young people and strove to do all that he could for them, and to lead them to know and love God. The book describes the difficulties St. Marcellin had along the way, and how he overcame them all with determination, prayer, and hard work.

Sammon's treatment of him goes beyond what many biographies present. He not only describes his life and mission, but delves into the psychological motivations that moved him. What emerges is a clear and informative life of a saint who is a very real person, not just a plaster image of what a saint should be! I highly recommend this book.

This book would be excellent for any reference or school library- the author investigates the background of many of the traditions around Valentine's Day. Simple to read and follow, it would be great for adult or teenager- I am looking forward to reviewing some of the histories and legends around the other holidays in her series!

In only 64 pages the author traces the origins of today's Valentine's Day back to the pre-Christian Roman festival of Lupercalia, and finds the connections to various courting customs and symbols through the ages. Although small, the book is no lightweight -- it's packed with apparently well-researched and detailed information. The monochrome illustrations that accompany the text are appropriately sparing. There are plenty of other books with lots of big, colorful pictures but none with as much information conveyed so clearly and pleasantly in so little space!

Archimandrite Zacharias is a member of the monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex, founded by Elder Sophrony. In 2007, he led a retreat in Wichita, KS, and this volume offers the presentations delivered at this occasion. Every other chapter is followed by a series of Questions and Answers, as Father Zacharias dialogued with the priests attending the retreat. The whole series focuses on the place of the heart in the spiritual life of the Christian believer. It consists in a very rich inner nourishment, based on the teaching of the Scriptures, and on the spiritual and liturgical experience of the author. He also incorporates the Tradition he received, especially through his mentors Sophrony and Silouan. The book presents the journey of the deep heart (see Ps 64:6), from its awakening to its deification, through purification and transfiguration. In other words, this is a genuine phenomenology of the spiritual life. Coming from a disciple of Sophrony, it is not surprising to see that for Fr. Zacharias, the awakening of the heart comes through mindfulness of death, a true source of inner freedom. This in turns leads to awakening, through a healthy balance between fear of God and love of God. Vigilance, prayer, and repentance help then to build up the heart, or to "enlarge" it, to use a favorite expression of the author (see 2 Cor 6:13). This process has to go through crucifixion, by struggling against the passions. By the grace of God, the Christian will find hesychia, and the divine Word will be conceived in his heart, for his salvation and the salvation of the world. The author offers also many elements of wisdom founded on concrete ecclesial practices, such as the sacrament of confession, meditation on the Gospel, calling upon the name of Jesus and partaking of the sacrament of Holy Communion. This book is an excellent companion for whoever wants to reach a deeper spiritual life.

"The Hidden Man of the Heart" is not a light read, but for serious seekers of spiritual maturity, the time spent digesting this work is well worth the effort. Personally, I would recommend beginning by reading another book by the same author, "The Enlargement of the Heart," which lays groundwork that really is needed to properly understand "The Hidden Man of the Heart." This is a work to be read and re-read, studied and returned to for a lifetime.

J.B. Bury wrote his "History of Greece" before World War I, but it was such a good overview of classical Greek history that the third edition was still being used as a college textbook in the late 1960's. Although only selected portions of the text were assigned reading, I read the book cover to cover and have kept it to this day. Bury writes in a lucid, easily understood style that entertains as it educates. Although Bury recounts campaigns and battles in stirring fashion, he does not neglect the Greek contributions to politics, the arts, and sciences. Except for his obvious dislike of the Spartan King Agesilaus, I found Bury to be fair and even-handed in his evaluation of the peoples and events that shaped Greek history.

I've read about 20 books on ancient Greek history, and this is by far my favorite of the secondary sources. Oddly, it was a college textbook -- otherwise, I probably never would have come across it. As I read more Greek History books, I always came back to this one.

Bury not only is an engaging author, but he doesn't ascribe to a 'special' school. History is not just economics and sociology, governmental systems, or great leaders. All of these elements of history are well presented. Furthermore, Bury has just the right mix of presenting history and of speculation, with an emphaisis on the former (as a textbook); nonetheless, his speculations and comments are thoughtful and outstanding. He is balanced. When he talks about tyrants, he went through the gamut of beneficial ones like Cleithenes of Sicyon, enlightened but despotic like Cypsalis of Corinth, and the usual bad ones.

As an example of his insights, he discusses how clever Cyrus II was (the man that tried to take over the Persian throne with Greek mercenaries, leading to the Anabasis), and how he at an early time made military innovations with the Greek phalanx he had as his mercenary army. Bury speculates how a Greek victory, putting Cyrus on the throne, would have been bad for Greece as a whole, since Persia would have an innovative and energetic king.

The book is full of facts. It is not a fast read. Noentheless, it is simply a great source book and very good reead for ancient Greek History.

This book is written for the average person to understand, it makes sense and yet has enough detail to reconstruct a house from history.

This book is so highly regarded it is the basis of St. Augustine City codes regarding Historic Architecture preservation and restoration and will continue the tradition of Colonial St. Augustine. Not just for the novice, also for the historian, architect or builder.

St. Augustine is a fascinating architectural anamoly in the United States. I have become consumed with discovering all there is to know about the unique architecture, people and culture of this quaint city. Only last weekend, we spent 5 days, walking and touring much of the historic district, with this book in hand, I might add. If European and American history and architecture are a passion of yours, St. Augustine is the closest, most unique place to find it all. This book is a great place to begin.

This is a great biogrpahy on the life of President Hunter. President
Hunter was an outstanding leader and Latter Day Saint. The stories,
examples and illustrations are inspiring and motivational. I highly
recommend this book.

Howard W. Hunter was unique among LDS Church presidents and this biography is a gem for anyone interested in his unique life and teachings. He was a gentle, kind man who could also be tough and determined. Whether you're an LDS Church member or not, this biography is a wonderful read.