For Him: In-Sight, by Gerard D. Webster
Gripping, persuasive, and unexpected, In-Sight came to me because the author read my posts on depression and thought I’d relate with some of his characters.
Don’t get me wrong: this isn’t a depressing book. Far from it! The plot is fast-paced and the characters are unique, while real.
In-Sight explained some Catholic concepts to me that I hadn’t realized I didn’t fully understand. The effects of sin, for example, on our soul…somehow, I knew intellectually, but after reading this book I found myself with a better grasp on it (and a more burning desire for frequent confession!).
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For Her: Discovering the Feminine Genius: Every Woman’s Journey, by Katrina J. Zeno
This book is very similar to Zeno’s earlier title, Every Woman’s Journey (which I reviewed back in September). Zeno once again approaches John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and makes it applicable to those of us without the time or gray matter to dig into it endlessly. It’s written in a way that made me think “group study” and “easy to read.” (Whenever I try to share Theology of the Body with people, the, ahem, sheer size of it often makes their eyes glaze a bit.)
There’s nothing inspiring glazed eyes or boredom in this book, and it will be one that I will not only share with many others, but that I’ll come back to, time and again.
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For The Kids: The Father Brown Reader: Stories from Chesterton, by Nancy Carpentier Brown
I’ve been meaning to read more Chesterton, especially since my delight with The Man Who Was Thursday (courtesy of LibriVox) and my enjoyment of the American Chesterton Society‘s podcast (done by the lovely Nancy Brown, no surprise). Reading Brown’s Father Brown Reader pretty much sealed the deal. As soon as I’m done with the reading stack that needs immediate attention, I’m digging into the Father Brown mysteries first.
The stories in this collection are perfect for middle grade readers or for reading aloud to your favorite preschooler. They’re amusing and unexpected in all the right ways.
Oh, and Father Brown himself? Well, let’s just say I’m a fan.
Ooooo!!!! I am SO excited about these Fr. Brown for kids! I haven’t read the books yet. I’m still working through Orthodoxy, but I love Chesterton and can’t wait to read these kids ones w/ my boys.
“Discovering the Feminine Genius: Every Woman’s Journey” is very similar to Zeno’s earlier book, “Every Woman’s Journey” for a very good reason: it is a re-release of the original title.
She mostly added more content and depth to the chapter “What About the Men?”