Best Book You Read This Year?

[Lil Red]

What's the best book you've read this year, and why?

[PhuturePriest]

I read plenty of books this year during Lent. I read a lot of books about the Saints in particular. I can't remember which ones I liked the most. All were good, though.

[Lil Red]

I read plenty of books this year during Lent. I read a lot of books about the Saints in particular. I can't remember which ones I liked the most. All were good, though.

 

gee, that's pretty not helpful.

[Slappo]

The Hunger Games

[Era Might]

"Hitler" by Joachim Fest. Excellent biography.

[PhuturePriest]

gee, that's pretty not helpful.

 

Glad I could help! ;)

[Ash Wednesday]

I look forward to seeing some recommendations, husband got me a tablet so now I can really enjoy kindle books better :)

 

Right now I'm cheap and downloading Catholic freebies.

[Lil Red]

I look forward to seeing some recommendations, husband got me a tablet so now I can really enjoy kindle books better :)

 

Right now I'm cheap and downloading Catholic freebies.

 

i got a gift card to barnes & noble, so want to get some good books.

[Winchester]

http://www.amazon.com/Genius-Unspeakable-Evil-Class-President/dp/1595143548

 

I read it because I wanted to.

[Lil Red]

http://www.amazon.com/Genius-Unspeakable-Evil-Class-President/dp/1595143548

 

I read it because I wanted to.

 

was it any good?

[Winchester]

was it any good?

 

It was funny. I have read mostly non-fiction, this year.

[4588686]

The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric.  It's amazing.  It's really epochal but amazing brief given how complex and comprehensive it is.  It focuses on a bridge build over the Drina river in Bosnia and the growth of the city of Visegrad.  It focuses on the human characters through Ottoman occupation, Austrian occupation, and the advent of WWI.  It's really amazing.  I've never read anything quite like it.  

[eagle_eye222001]

Left to Tell

 

by Immaculée Ilibagiza

 

From the summery by Amazon because it's faster than typing...

 

 

 

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.
 

Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them. 
 

It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love—a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers.

The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman’s journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Left-Tell-Discovering-Rwandan-Holocaust/dp/1401908977

 

 

Edit:  An amazing story that's awesome to read because it's true and it gives great insight to someone whose life was ripped apart but was able to survive because of God.  It is fairly easy to read, very exciting to read, and thus hard to put down.  It shows the hypocritical actions of nations such as the US that pretend they didn't know what was going on when it was fairly obvious.  If the US was to interfere anywhere in the world in the last 30 years, this event should have been it due to the widespread holocaust.

Edited December 27, 2012 by eagle_eye222001

[Winchester]

The Boring on the Boring by Ivo Boring.  It's Boring.  It's boring boring but boring brief given how boring and boring it is.  It borings on a bridge build over the Boring river in Boring and the growth of the city of Boring.  It borings on the human borings through Boring occupation, Boring occupation, and the advent of Boring.  It's really Boring.  I've never pretended to read anything quite like it.  

 

rly

[DiscerningCatholic]

[Basilisa Marie]

Three Big Bangs: Matter-Energy, Life, Mind  by Holmes Rolston III

 

I read it for an Eschatology of Hope class, and used it in a paper on how all of creation points toward the effects of salvation.  It's very accessible for anyone with a basic interest in this kind of stuff. Here's the amazon summary: 

 

By dividing the creation of matter, energy, life, and mind into three big bangs, Holmes Rolston III brings into focus a history of the universe that respects both scientific discovery and the potential presence of an underlying intelligence. Matter-energy appears, initially in simpler forms but with a remarkable capacity for generating heavier elements. The size and expansion rate of the universe, the nature of electromagnetism, gravity, and nuclear forces enable the the explosion of life on Earth. DNA discovers, stores, and transfers information generating billions of species. Cognitive capacities escalate, and with neural sentience this results in human genius.

 

[Not The Philosopher]

Fiction-wise, it's definitely Peace by Gene Wolfe.  Wolfe is already one of my favourite authors, but I think this is the most endearing thing of his I've read yet. On the one hand, it's pretty simple: just a guy reflecting on his life in Midwest America. But it's told in a very mind-bending and at times poignant fashion. There's not very much apparent plot; most of what makes it special is in the execution. It's not an easy read, though.

 

If we expand things to include nonfiction, I'm not so sure as to what would be tops.

[Papist]

Catholic Children's Treasure Box volumes 1-10.

[AnneLine]

If you are going for the Story of a Soul, look for this translation and edition:

 

John Clarke is the best translatin in English, and the Study Edition gives you a lot of really helpful background....

 

http://www.icspublications.org/bookstore/lisieux/b_lisieux10.html

 

And YES!!! you can order it from Amazon thru the Phatmass Amazon connetion & earn pin money for dUSt!!!!

 

 

 

 

My book find and recommendation this year is:Christopher Jamison, OSB's book, Finding Sanctuary

 

"In Finding Sanctuary Abbot Christopher Jamison, host of the BBC television series The Monastery, suggests the 1,500 year-old teachings of St. Benedict offer insights for everyday life--for those who are religious and for those simply searching for spiritual guidance.

 

"By integrating modern realities and the wisdom of St. Benedict's Rule, monasteries continue to be places of sanctuary today. This book explains how people living outside of monasteries can also achieve that sanctuary, along with peace and insight."

 

 

It has truly been a great help in living a more prayerful life as a lay person.  Everyone who has read it has loved it...

[Hubertus]

CS Lewis' Space Trilogy. Highly recommend it.