The Catholic Book Club discussion

2. What other conversion stories have you read, how do they compare to From Fire, by Water: My Journey to the Catholic Faith?

From this theme of converts from Islam to Christianity I have found several examples. We have the case of Nabeel Qureshi "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity" by Nabeel Qureshi https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., however the fact that Qureshi died so young from illness prevented his conversion to Catholicism, he only converted to Protestant Christianity. The following case "The Price to Pay: A Muslim Risks All to Follow Christ" by Joseph Fadelle https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... that tells us about the Dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, and how despite being a secular regime the difficulties that Muslims have to convert to Christianity. This is one of the ones I like the most the problem is that I do not know if it has been translated into English this story of conversion of an Indian Imam was edited by Libros Libres in Spain (it seems that it has been translated) In Search of You by Mario Joseph https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... has something very positive apart from the moving testimony of Mario Joseph there is a comparison of the different religions (of the books mentioned is the that I like the most by far). Then I haven't read them, but Derya's conversion story Little From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God by Derya Little https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... The fascinating thing about this story is that Mrs. Little goes from Islam to atheism, then to Protestantism, and then becomes Catholic. The average Goodreads is very high. Then there is the story of the Austro-Pakistani activist Sabatina James, which in Spain was edited by the publisher Palabra My Fight for Faith and Freedom by Sabatina James https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... Here I add other stories of conversions, which are not from Islam to Christianity https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

I remember watching a YouTube video some years ago of a Muslim explaining his conversion. The chief reason was his realization that the Christian God created everything, and Mohammed and Allah created nothing. I think that implies the destructive force of Islam against the creative and peacemaking grace of Christianity.

Like that Madeleine

I have just began reading From Fire by Water… so can not compare yet but will.
I have read Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity by Nabeel Quereshi (regret not writing a review) and Islam to Christ: One Woman’s Path through the Riddles of God by Derya Little. (Reviewed) Recommend both.
Thank you Fonch for new Conversion books to seek out.
Have always liked conversion stories and was truly blessed by these books.

“Rome Sweet Home” by Scott & Kimberly Hahn

“Lead, Kindly Light My Journey to Rome”
by Thomas Howard

“The Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God: The Story of Ruth Pakaluk, Convert, Mother, and
Pro-Life Activist”
by Ruth Pakaluk, Michael Pakaluk (Editor)

The Surprised by Truth Series especially book 1:
“Surprised By Truth: 11 Converts Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons for Becoming Catholic”
By Patrick Madrid Editor.

I also have read Rome Sweet home written by the marriage. The interesting thing of Shorab Ahmari is that it is schita the other converts were sunnis. This book has three interesting things that i commented with the Professor Manuel Alfonseca but i do not say which are these three things.

I have also read Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Audio Lectures: A Muslim Encounters Christianity and Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism.

I thought we had read Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life and Confessions in the group, but I don't find either in the list of read books or in prior discussion questions.

Finally we did read The Seven Storey Mountain.

I have also read the spiritual autobiography of C.S. Lewis I really liked Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life. I have not yet read "The Confessions" of St. Augustine, and if "The City of God" my review of this book in Goodreads has been one of my most successful, and popular reviews. I wrote it at the request of our friend. It is a very long book, but it is worth of reading, for me, perhaps it is one of the most important books in history, and I understand the praise paid to it by both Berdiaeff and Christopher Dawson. I mostly put books of converts from Islam to Christianity, because it was the closest thing to the book we were reading, although I had many other books in mind. I thought of spectacular, sudden conversions like those of Paul Claudel, or Andre Frossard. Pd. Such books can be proposed. I would like to be able to comment in a discussion Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life

I have added From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God to the nominations list.

John wrote: "I have added From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God to the nominations list."
I am a witness I have seen it (and I have answered it). I did not like this book very much, because the author is very close to a left-wing Christianity, and in the book he is dedicated to messing with Hilaire Belloc, calling him a fascist, but I recognize that it is very useful. There is a lack of writers like my beloved Maxence van der Meersch.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... PD. I forgot, I think, there is no English translation that I know of, but it helps us to know the main converted authors from France, and England, although I prefer my Pearce. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... In this book Pearce narrates his own conversion is on the waiting list, waiting for an opportunity, to be chosen. I would love to see Pearce discussing with us about his own book. By the way, I want to send you a gift, which would make you very excited unfortunately has not been translated into English either. It is the fiction book, which for the moment I liked the most. I am sure it will be to Mr Pearce's liking https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

Fonch I am confused which book don’t you like? The one we are reading?

Not this book i liked i rated with five stars. Ah i said the Mariano Fazio's book "Cristianos en la encrucijada". I do not like because the author is very close to the left wing catholics as Mounier and he striked Hilaire Belloc calling him fascists. That that we read to Belloc know that he is not fascist. With all the book is very useful for the names of converts quoted in his pages.

Thank you for clarification Fonch!

ok It does not matter and sorry because i did not explain before .

Apart from some of those mentioned above (such as Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life or Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism) I have also read the following conversion stories:

1. Apologia Pro Vita Sua by John Henry Newman.

2. Pasos de gigante by Irene Maciá, the story of the conversion of a teenager and her consequent bullying at school.

3. Smoke on the Mountain: An Interpretation of the Ten Commandments by Joy Davidman. This is not exactly a conversion story, but its consequence.

4. The conversion of Tolkien's mother as explained in most of Tolkien's biographies. This conversion, which was the initial reason for Tolkien's Catholicism, was heroic, for, as a consequence, his mother's bonds with her family were broken and she suffered important financial losses.

And about fictional conversions:

1. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, highly influenced by Waugh's own conversion and by Chesterton.

2. Loss and Gain by John Henry Newman, influenced by his own conversion.

3. By What Authority? by Robert Hugh Benson, influenced by his own conversion.

4. Sun Slower, Sun Faster by Meriol Trevor, the story of the conversion to Catholicism of three of the main characters.

5. Passing By by Maurice Baring, influenced by his own conversion.

6. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni, with the story of the conversion of "The Unnamed."

7. The Wild Orchid and The Burning Bush, by Sigrid Undset, influenced by her own conversion.

8. Dialogue with Trypho by Justin Martyr, influenced by his own conversion.

Very good lists of books of conversions