These Just In

I got home yesterday to find a baby library had sprouted on my doorstep. What a delightful thing to sit down and go through a batch of books ... especially when they all look so interesting. Many of them would make good Lenten reading as well. Here are a few of those that stood out in case you are interested also. Others will be reviewed fairly soon as they are smallish.

• The Cracker Kitchen: read more about it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

• 2009 Catholic Almanac: packed with updated great info. As you may remember, I was entranced last year by the 2008 Catholic Almanac.
  
  
• To Whom Shall We go? Lessons from the Apostle Peter by Archbisop Timothy M. Dolan. Essentially taking a look at discipleship by reflecting on Peter's life as a way to keep our eyes focused on Christ. Didn't want to stop reading after dipping into the first chapter.
  
  
• Fr. McBride's Guide to the Bible by Alfred McBride, P.Praem: This is an interesting one. Fr. McBride does overviews of different sections or books of the Bible with an eye to what it meant to the people in those times, what it means in salvation history, how we can apply it to our own lives, and more. I read the section on Psalms and on John 3:16 and really liked it. Although, for those of us who judge books by their covers, I've gotta ask ... why is the author's name (which is also in the title) bigger than the title itself. Only two answers present themselves and I'm hoping it is simply bad cover design (check) rather than author's ego (which is the thing I've found in those circumstances).
  
  
• My Daily Catholic Bible - New Testament: 10-Minute Daily Readings by Paul Thigpen. I like this idea. Just pick this up, turn to the date and begin reading daily to go through the entire New Testament in a year. Each entry has a saint's quote at the beginning for further meditation. I see there is also a 20-minute a day version already out that is for the entire Bible. Either way, it looks like something I might try. If so y'all will be the first to know!
  
  
• The Unseen Power of Prayer: A Catholic Perspective by Michael McDevitt: "The power of prayer is not about your power, but the power you have allowed inside -- Christ Himself." That quote alone is intriguing and thought provoking. This book evidently is the fruit of numerous retreats that McDevitt has led.
  
  
• Mother Teresa's Secret Fire by Fr. Joseph Langford. I think we all know that I love this book. I had the galley edition. It is nice to see this hardbound edition that has plenty of room in the margins for notes (if you read this book the way that I did).
  
  
• The Apostles by Pope Benedict XVI: Illustrated Edition. I see, looking back, that I never reviewed The Apostles although I did mention it in my review of The Fathers by the pope. Both are taken from a series of homilies done by our Holy Father. This has the same insightful homilies, focusing on the apostles, that is in other editions of the book but is a larger sized book that is greatly enhanced by over 60 lovely reproductions of classic art depicting the apostles and key events from the Gospels. I will be rereading these, which is a good idea anyway, and using the art for additional meditation. As well as enjoyment, of course!