The Catholic Book Club discussion

It is time to vote for the September 2020 BOTM!!

- You may vote for two of the books on the following list.

- The book with the most votes will be our September 2020 BOTM. If two or more books are tied with the highest vote, we will read them all, one a month, and the randomizer will decide the order.

- The randomizer will also select one book from among those that receive no votes to be removed from the voting list. The following two books were added after our last vote and as first-timers on the voting list, they are exempt from the randomizer: The Thought of Thomas Aquinas, by Brian Davies, nominated by John, and A World as Heaven Intended, by Amanda Lauer, nominated by Dan.

Voting will finish at 11:00 AM Eastern time on August 18.

The list of books to choose from are:

Bodies and souls, by Maxence Van der Meersch, nominated by Fonch.
This dramatic novel about doctors, students, nurses and patients, has become a classic. It seems to be difficult to obtain in English (it doesn't even have a page in Goodreads), but it can easily be got in other languages (French, Spanish or Italian). This is their page in Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

The Divine Milieu, by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
Teilhard de Chardin -- geologist, priest, and major voice in twentieth-century Christianity -- probes the ultimate meaning of all physical exploration and the fruit of his own inner life. The Divine Milieu is a spiritual treasure for every religion bookshelf.

Doors in the Walls of the World: Signs of Transcendence in the Human Story, by Peter Kreeft, nominated by Vicky
With razor-sharp reasoning and irrepressible joy, Kreeft helps us to find the doors in the walls of the world. Drawing on history, physical science, psychology, religion, philosophy, literature, and art, he invites us to welcome what lies on the other side of these doors, and to begin living the life of Heaven in the here and now.

Europe and the Faith, by Hilaire Belloc, nominated by Fonch
In this book, pivotal to all his historical insights, Belloc answers the question: What made Europe? He shows it was not the barbarians nor the Protestant Reformation, but the Catholic Faith that made Europe (and the worldwide civilization produced by Europe). Protestantism gravely wounded this our civilization, and only the Catholic Faith can rejuvenate it. It must return to that Faith or perish! This is a tremendous eye-opener on where we are today and where we must go from here!!

The Light: Who Do You Become When the World Falls Away?, by Jacqueline Brown, nominated by Madeleine
A blinding flash … then darkness. Bria Ford and her three closest friends are stranded on a country highway in the middle of a November night. No phones. No car. No lights. Helpless and hundreds of miles from home, they put their lives in the hands of handsome Jonah Page and his flinty sister, East, strangers who somehow know Bria better than she knows herself. As the group bonds to adapt to a new, yet old, way of life, the secrets of Bria’s past provide them with the means to survive the extremes of Mother Nature, and the even more frightening extremes of human nature.

The Mango Murders, by Mara Campos, nominated by Madeleine
All is not what it seems in Old San Juan, in the Pio Nono home for boys, in the life of the island's most famous artist, or in the memories of his models. Detective Sergeant Julio Ramos and gringo FBI agent Steve Halloran work in uneasy alliance to catch a serial killer with a penchant for mangoes and a need to avenge lost love and lost innocence. To come to truth, the investigators have to face their own painful issues, and even their targets must choose between light or darkness. In language, memory, race, and blood, the novel tells the story of the burden and the promise of identity.

The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis, by Carrie Gress PhD, nominated by Marlicia
As the world descends into chaos, Christians are thinking deeply about how to stem the tide. Many options and suggestions have been presented to deal with Christian persecution and cultural decadence, but none can hold a candle to The Marian Option.
Dr. Carrie Gress provides a thoroughly researched bird’s eye view of the significant cultural and military events mediated through Mary on behalf of her spiritual children. From miraculous victories to the soaring heights of culture, you have never seen Mary like this before. Until now, books on the Virgin Mary have generally focused upon one apparition or various theological elements of this mysterious woman. But the scope of The Marian Option is far greater. Drawing from a vast array of dogmas, Vatican approved apparitions, and writings of the saints, Dr. Gress has pulled together the remarkable story of Mary’s overwhelming influence and intercession.

The Myth of Hitler's Pope: Pope Pius XII And His Secret War Against Nazi Germany, by David G. Dalin
In 1999, John Cornwell excoriated Pope Pius XII as "Hitler's Pope." In this book, Rabbi David G. Dalin provides a ringing defense of the wartime pontiff, arguing that Holocaust-era Jews justly regarded Pius as their protector, not their tormentor.

Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture, by Anthony M. Esolen
What do you do when an entire civilization is crumbling around you? You do everything. This is a book about how to get started.
Providence College professor Anthony Esolen, blunt and prophetic, makes the case that the decay of Western civilization is alarmingly advanced.

Paul: A Biography, N.T. Wright, nominated by Jill
In this definitive biography, renowned Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright offers a radical look at the apostle Paul, illuminating the humanity and remarkable achievements of this intellectual who invented Christian theology—transforming a faith and changing the world.

Poor Banished Children, by Fiorella De Maria, nominated by Fonch
An explosion is heard off the coast of sixteenth-century England, and a woman washes up on the shore. She is barely alive and does not speak English, but she asks for a priest... in Latin. She has a confession to make and a story to tell, but who is she and where has she come from? Cast out of her superstitious, Maltese family, Warda turns to begging and stealing until she is fostered by an understanding Catholic priest who teaches her the art of healing. Her willful nature and hard-earned independence make her unfit for marriage, and so the good priest sends Warda to serve an anchorite, in the hope that his protege will discern a religious vocation.

Scarlet Pimpernel Of The Vatican, by J.P. Gallagher
To thousands of people escaping- Allied prisoners, refugees, Jews and others wanted for various reasons by the Nazis - one of the greatest heros of WWII was a tall, jolly Irish Priest, Monsignor Hugh Joseph O'Flaherty. Working throughout the war at the Vatican, he organised, unofficially, an incredibly efficient underground system which gave shelter to inumerable escapees. This very readable account of his adventures is an exciting story and throws some interesting light on one of the lesser-known aspects of the war.

The Secrets of Successful Financial Planning: Inside Tips from an Expert, by Dan Gallagher
There are six interrelated segments to a complete financial plan: Cash & Budget Planning, Insurance & Risk Management, Tax Management, Retirement Planning, Investment Planning, and Estate Planning. What aspects of the financial plan require sophisticated planning by a professional, and what can savvy, well-educated consumers handle themselves? The Secrets of Successful Financial Planning empowers readers to take charge of their financial present and future, regardless of where they are financially, by presenting technical jargon in a way that's easy to understand.

The Thought of Thomas Aquinas, by Brian Davies, nominated by John.
The works of Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest Western philosophers as well as theologians of the Christian Church, are not only illuminating (for his questions as much as his answers) but surprisingly relevant to our concerns today. This book represents a modern comprehensive presentation of the thought of Aquinas. The book is designed to be accessible to the general reader who has no specialist knowledge of medieval thought or professional training in philosophy or theology.
This book may be difficult to find at an affordable price. Please consider this before voting for it.

A World Such as Heaven Intended, by Amanda Lauer, nominated by Dan.
The Civil War tore the United States apart and many friendships and families as well. In "A World Such as Heaven Intended," Amara McKirnan and Nathan Simmons share a devotion to their Catholic faith but their loyalties lie on opposite sides of the conflict. Dedicated to the Confederate cause, Amara offers to help out at her uncle’s makeshift hospital in Atlanta. Fate brought Nathan to their doorstep and into Amara’s life. Little does Amara know that the wounded soldier she cares for harbors a secret that will not only jeopardize his life but hers as well. Follow Amara and Nathan’s story from the heart of war-torn Atlanta to the Northern Georgia battlefields to the plains of East Texas as their lives become intertwined in a way that shatters the separate worlds they once knew.

I vote for "Bodies and Souls" by Maxence van der Meersch and "The secret successful planning: Inside tips From an expert" by Dan Gallagher.

The Scarlet Pimpernel if the Vatican
My #1 choice

I would choose The Marian Option as my #2

Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican
The Mango Murders

Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican;
The Divine Milieu.

Paul a biography; it seems interesting

Scarlet Pimpernel #2

Paul and Scarlet Pimpernel

Paul and Out of the Ashes

The Light: Who Do You Become When the World Falls Away by Jacqueline Brown

Out of the Ashes by Esolen

The myth of Hitler's pope

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Scarlet Pimpernel
Paul

Doors in the Walls of the World
Poor Banished Children of Eve

#1 Europe and the Faith, by Hilaire Belloc;
#2 The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis, by Carrie Gress PhD;

The Light
The Mango Murders

I vote for "Bodies and Souls" by Maxence van der Meersch and "The secret successful planning: Inside tips From an expert" by Dan Gallagher

My votes are for "Europe & the faith" (Belloc) and "The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican"

My second choice is Poor Banished Children by Fiorella De Maria.

Europe and the Faith, by Hilaire Belloc
Poor Banished Children, by Fiorella De Maria

The Scarlet pimpernel of the Vatican is my number 1 choice

Doors in the Walls of the World
The Marian Option

The myth of Hitler's pope

Paul by N.T. Wright
Doors in the Walls of the World by Peter Kreeft

I vote for "Europe and the Faith"

The Divine Milieu
Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican

Europe and the Faith

Poor Banished Children

Scarlet Pimpernel

The Thoughts of Saint Thomas
Poor Banished Children

Voting is closed. Results are here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...