The Catholic Book Club discussion

It is already that time again - time to consider and vote for our October 2017 BOTM.

You may vote for up to two of the books listed below. Enter your votes by replying in this thread. Voting will end sometime after 5 PM, Central time, on September 18.

A book will be randomly selected for elimination from the nominations list from among those that don't receive any votes. The two new books added to the voting list this month, Second Friends: C.S. Lewis and Ronald Knox in Conversation, by Milton Walsh and Treatise on Prayer and Meditation, by Peter of Alcantara, will be excluded from the Randomizer.

The books up for consideration for the October 2017 BOTM are:

Ad Limina: A Novella of Catholics in Space, by Cyril Jones-Kellett
War is in the air, and the first native bishop of Mars has been called to Rome. As he makes his way across fifty million miles of space, he encounters a society moving into every corner of the solar system and teeming with every kind of decadence. "We are filling the emptiness with our emptiness," he thinks. A violent fascist opposition is rising, promising to restore humanity to glory. When the bishop gets a mysterious offer to leave the solar system, he is sorely tempted. But if he goes, he may be abandoning Earth to a brutal invasion only he can prevent.

Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon, by Donald H. Calloway. From the best-selling author of the classic Catholic conversion story, No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, comes a powerful and comprehensive history of a spiritual weapon: the rosary.

Church of Spies: The Pope's Secret War Against Hitler, by Mark Riebling
In Church of Spies, the intelligence expert Mark Riebling draws on a wealth of recently uncovered documents to argue that, far from being Hitler’s lackey, Pius was an active anti-Nazi spymaster. He directed a vast network of Vatican operatives—priests and laypeople alike—who partnered with the German resistance, tipped the Allies off to Hitler’s invasions of France and Russia, and involved themselves in three separate plots to assassinate Hitler.

Life and Select Works of Peter of Alcantara, by Peter of Alcantara
Among the great accomplishments and benefits to others, he was the Confessor to Teresa of Avila. It was Peter and the work contained within this particular volume, which Teresa of Avila was able to grow and develop into the person she was. It was Peter of Alcantara, who advised not only her but also others into a life of poverty, prayer which lead to spiritual bliss.
Like St John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, Peter of Alcantara decided to follow the reformed order of the Franciscans, known as the discalced, which started in the year Peter was born. This same rise to return to the origins of the Franciscans, gave the incentive for Teresa and John to follow the reformation within their own order.

The Life of St. Catharine of Sienna, by Raymond of Capua
One of the key works on St. Catharine's life, written shortly after her death by her spiritual director.

Looking for the King, by David C. Downing
It is 1940, and American Tom McCord, a 23-year-old aspiring doctoral candidate, is in England researching the historical evidence for the legendary King Arthur. There he meets perky and intuitive Laura Hartman, a fellow American staying with her aunt in Oxford, and the two of them team up for an even more ambitious and dangerous quest.
Weaving his fast-paced narrative with actual quotes from the works of the Inklings, author David Downing offers a vivid portrait of Oxford and draws a welcome glimpse into the personalities and ideas of Lewis and Tolkien, while never losing sight of his action-packed adventure story and its two very appealing main characters.

A Martyr for the Truth: Jerzy Popieuszko, by Grazyna Sikorska

On the God of the Christians:, by Rémi Brague -
[The book description on GR is in French. The following is excerpted from Amazon, which indicates it is from the back cover of the book.]
On the God of the Christians tries to explain how Christians conceive of the God whom they worship. No proof for His existence is offered, but simply a description of the Christian image of God.

A Postcard from the Volcano: A Novel of Pre-War Germany, by Lucy Beckett
Beginning in 1914 and ending on the eve of World War II, this epic story follows the coming of age and early manhood of the Prussian aristocrat, Max von Hofmannswaldau. From the idyllic surroundings of his ancestral home to the streets of cosmopolitan Breslau menaced by the Nazi SS, Hofmannswaldau uncovers the truth about his own identity and confronts the modern ideologies that threaten the annihilation of millions of people.A Postcard from the Volcano opens with the outbreak of World War I and the Prussian pride and patriotism that blind the noble von Hofmannswaldau family to the destruction that lies ahead for their country. The well-researched narrative follows the young count as he leaves home to finish his education and ends up a stranger in the land of his birth.Both intelligent and sensitive, Beckett's prose explores the complex philosophical and political questions that led Europe into a second world war, while never losing sight of a man whose life is shaped by his times. A deeply moving historical novel that shows the horrific impact that two world wars had on whole countries, and how individuals struggled to deal with the incredible challenges presented by such devastation.

Reasonable Pleasures: The Strange Coherences of Catholicism, by James V. Schall
The fact of pleasure is obvious to us, but its relation to reason is less understood. We are beings who laugh and run, sing and dance, but we too seldom reflect on why we do these things. Above all, we are beings who think and who want to know whether our lives make sense. In this thought-provoking study of the relationship between our reason and our experience of pleasure, popular professor and author Fr. James Schall shows how reason, religion and pleasure are not in conflict with one another. Religion has to do with how man relates to God. Catholicism is not so much a religion as a revelation. It records and recalls how God relates to man.The popular mood of our time is that neither religion nor revelation has much to do with real life. Yet when we look at things as having meaning and order, they fit together in surprising ways. This coherence should bring us joy, and teach us how reason, religion and pleasure can work together for our benefit. Schall shows us in this book why we have many reasons to think that our lives make sense, that our pleasures can be reasonable, and our reason itself is a pleasure.

Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society, by John Horvat
In times of crisis, we are forced to reexamine our ways and ponder our future. It is in this framework that we need to consider our present economic plight and the charting of our path forward. John Horvat focuses on the present crisis with great insight and clarity. He claims modern economy has become cold, impersonal, and out of balance. Gone are the human elements of honor and trust so essential to our daily lives. Society has discarded the natural restraining influence of the human institutions and values that should temper our economic activities.

Second Friends: C.S. Lewis and Ronald Knox in Conversation, by Milton Walsh
C. S. Lewis and Ronald Knox were two of the most popular authors of Christian apologetics in the twentieth century ... and for many years they were neighbors in Oxford. In Second Friends, Milton Walsh delves into their writings and compares their views on a variety of compelling topics, such as the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, the problem of suffering, miracles, the way of Love, the role of religion in society, prayer, and more. They both bring to the conversation a passionate love of truth, clarity of thought, and a wonderful wit.

Toward the Gleam, by T.M. Doran
Between the two world wars, on a hike in the English countryside, Professor John Hill takes refuge from a violent storm in a cave. There he nearly loses his life, but he also makes an astonishing discovery — an ancient manuscript housed in a cunningly crafted metal box. Though a philologist by profession, Hill cannot identify the language used in the manuscript and the time period in which it is was made, but he knows enough to make an educated guess — that the book and its case are the fruits of a long-lost, but advanced civilization.

Treatise on Prayer and Meditation, by Peter of Alcantara
In this famous Treatise, St. Peter of Alcantara assists the Catholic soul to find devotion, that supernatural affection that removes distaste for spiritual effort and urges one on to serve God joyfully and genersously. St Peter made this book short and simple, yet packed into it "all that is necessary to know about prayer." It is full of saintly counsels on prayer, which is the key to the entire spiritual life.

Under an orange sky, by Manuel Alfonseca
In the year 2041, the Earth government initiates the colonization of Mars. In the ship goes the journalist Irene Pinedo, who will transmit to the Earth the adventures of the trip. After arriving at Mars, Irene makes two sensational discoveries that make her confront her chiefs and the Earth government.

Reasonable Pleasures
Under an Orange Sky

Under an Orange Sky
Life of St. Catherine

By the way, Celia and John, how are things with you in Florida after Hurricane Irma?

Manuel wrote: "Under an Orange Sky
Life of St. Catherine

By the way, Celia and John, how are things with you in Florida after Hurricane Irma?"

My dear friend it is a good detail to ask them. I hope that you are right John, Celia. I also have a friend in Florida.

My vote are for "Under an Orange Sky" by Manuel Alfonseca and "A Postcard from the Volcano: A Novel of Pre-War Germany", by Lucy Beckett

Manuel wrote: "Under an Orange Sky
Life of St. Catherine

By the way, Celia and John, how are things with you in Florida after Hurricane Irma?"

Thanks for asking, friend Manuel. Back to normal now. Power was out 60 hours and our patio roof blew apart. We are OK and very thankful that our damage and impact was minor by comparison. Some people in my county still do not have power.

Celia wrote: "Manuel wrote: "Under an Orange Sky
Life of St. Catherine

By the way, Celia and John, how are things with you in Florida after Hurricane Irma?"

Thanks for asking, friend Manuel. Back to normal no..."
I wish soon you can have a quotidiane life.

Looking for the King
Treatise on Prayer and Meditation by Peter of Alcantra

Under an orange sky
Life of St. Peter of Alcántara

Champions of the Rosary or Under An Orange Sky

Reasonable Pleasures or Treatise on Prayer and Meditation

Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon by Donald H. Calloway

Treatise on Prayer and Meditation, by Peter of Alcantara

Manuel wrote: "Under an Orange Sky
Life of St. Catherine

By the way, Celia and John, how are things with you in Florida after Hurricane Irma?"

We had a few panels blown out in our screen enclosure and lost some small trees and some bamboo, but nothing major. Our power came back on last Tuesday, but we still don't have internet. I am now using my cellphone as a hotspot and connecting my laptop by wifi, but that uses up the battery so quickly I basically have to leave the phone plugged in.

I will cast my votes for:

Return to Order
Church of Spies

Melika wrote: "Church of Spies
Toward the Gleam"

Thank youm, very much :-).

Voting is closed. Results will be posted shortly.