New 5 Star Review of Down By Contact

I admit, this is just a filler post, because it just occurred to me that I haven't posted anything for a while. I was going to post yet another instance where Byden sounds like Trump, but why beat a dead horse into the ground at this point?

So, here's Ria F's pithy, yet wonderful, 5 star review of my football-themed novella Down by Contact on Smashwords.

***** "Wow. You hardly ever find respectable men like Dawson Drake in books. This book is worth more than 5 stars."

I have to say, I don't get enough of these! Thank you, Ria F.

Book Review: A Letter to the Friends of the Cross

The Letter to the Friends Of The Cross by St. Louis de Montfort
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was truly a Lenten surprise! I previously read St. Louis Marie de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary, and although I found it quite enriching, it proved to be one of the most difficult books I had ever attempted to read - this coming from someone who has studied Phenomenology! So, my expectations were quite low, and even though this booklet was a gift to my wife by a Monseigneur friend of ours, I did not rush to open it and read it.

One of the things that attracted me to this book was its length. It comes in at under 40 pages, the main text is actually 25 pages long, and then there's an eight page ode to the Cross at the end.

The impetus of the book is Christ's admonition to us: "If any one wishes to come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 8-23)

De Montfort takes this message to heart and shows us that we cannot be followers of Christ (who was not spared His Passion), and expect not to suffer along with Him. If He, God's perfect Son, suffered, then we, imperfect beings that we are, should expect as much.

This is not a book for every Catholic. Those who embrace de Kempis' Imitation of Christ (one of my favorite Lenten spiritual readings) will also embrace the spirituality contained in this booklet. In fact, de Montfort cites The Imitation in one passage.

If you are looking for a short spiritual work to help you contemplate the Cross, this is it.

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Review: Faustina The Mystic and Her Message

Faustina The Mystic and Her Message by Ewa K. Czaczkowska
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I began the Extraordinary Year of Mercy by trying to read St. Faustina's Diary. Sadly, I struggled, and attributed my inability to make any headway due to a poor translation of the work. I mentioned my lack of success to my parish priest, who happens to be Polish, and after admitting that he had difficulties reading the text even in his (and St. Faustina's) native language, he loaned me his copy of Czaczkowska's book.

Faustina is an incredibly detailed look at the saint's life, from her infancy up to the Church's declaration and celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, the first Sunday following Easter. Due to Czaczkowska's research and writing skills as an accomplished journalist, I learned everything I ever wanted to know about St. Faustina, her revelations, the two confessors she relied on to guide her with her visions and the theology behind the Divine Mercy.

Since St. Faustina moved around quite a bit in her order's convents, the book looks at the events of her life primarily from a geographical point of view. I thought this was an odd way of structuring a biography, but in this way Czaczkowska successfully gives us a sympathetic and fascinating account of the mystic's life.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in St. Faustina's amazing life.

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Review: The Blade Artist

The Blade Artist by Irvine Welsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This novel could be subtitled: the biography of Frank Begbie or; When Will Begbie Lose Control?

This is by far one of the most tense and graphically violent novels I have ever read. The tension starts in the first chapter and continues until the very last page. The novel combines some of the most surprising yet also predictable elements found in one story.

I enjoyed Welsh' explorations of the morality of a psychotic character like Frank Begbie. I'm not convinced the supporting psychology is all that sound, and neither is the morality for that matter, but seeing a supposed well-adjusted Begbie react to different emotional situations such as the funeral for his son is highly entertaining drama.

The reader knows Begbie will eventually snap, the fun is in trying to figure out if it will be over his poorly-functioning cell phone or any one of the cast of characters from his past (and there are many) who pick on an emotionally torn Begbie when he returns to Leith to bury his son and to investigate the boy's murder.

Overall, I think Welsh has done justice to the Begbie character. Due to one obvious dangling loose end, I sense a sequel on the horizon, but we shall see.


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Review: Angels and Saints: A Biblical Guide to Friendship with God's Holy Ones

Angels and Saints: A Biblical Guide to Friendship with God's Holy Ones by Scott Hahn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Like many of Scott Hahn's books, this one, too reads like a convert's guide for other converts to the Catholic Church. This book happens to focus on the Magisterium's historical teaching on angels and saints. As a cradle Catholic I wasn't particularly enlightened nor enthused by the odd choice of saints that make up the better part of this small book.

The Catholic Church has been around for over 2000 years, and we probably celebrate a dozen or so saints every day of the year so, other than out of some personal attraction to one saint or another, it seems difficult to understand Hahn's featuring of these saints.

Still, if you know nothing about the Catholic Church's position on saints and angels (and you actually want to learn what the Church teaches) this is probably not a bad place to start your research.

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Review: Indian Horse

Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I guess Richard Wagamese likes stereotypes. In Indian Horse he has the drunken Native American, the cleric sexual predators for which the Catholic Church is (apparently) best known, the sadistic nuns who enable the priests' sexual abuse and, last but not least, the White Man who, like a territorial dog that knows no limits, thinks that everything he sees, thinks or does belongs to him and not to Others - especially when it comes to protecting the sacred game of hockey.

Forget looking for deep insights into the human condition in Iron Horse. Forget anything beyond blaming your parents (or some authoritative element of society that stands in for your parents) for screwing up your life and being the cause of your problems. If you're unsuccessful, it's someone else's fault - literally, the Universe's in this case - since you have to accept a pagan ideology to understand this story.

The story itself is well-written and it is a joy to read a solid tale about hockey. Wagamese captures the game of hockey as I remember playing it in Pee Wee and Bantam. The language is not flowery, nor is it stripped down minimalism. The imagery is well-grounded in the senses and Wagamese brings the game to life. But his reliance on stereotypes shows how insecure he is in his story-telling skills. Instead of giving the reader a truly unique and memorable character, we're left thinking of this as the drunken Indian hockey player novel.

Of course, the scenes and disclosures of sexual abuse are difficult to read. As a practicing Catholic I cannot condone any abuse - clergy or otherwise. Sexual predators need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law - regardless whether they wear a religious collar or not.

Before buying into Wagamese's depiction of (mostly northern) residential schools where decades of the sexual abuse took place (a fact I do not dispute), I would have liked some historical information. I would have appreciated at least a mention of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2008-2015) and their findings and recommendations; the fact that among a list of many organizations, the Catholic Church apologized for the abuses caused by their clergy or the people in their employment. How the residential schools came to be, etc., but we have none of that deeper analysis. That would presumably take away from the stereotypical Good Guy vs Bad Guy story line.

Sadly, we're left with the uneasy feeling that Wagamese used the whole troubling, traumatic setting of the residential schools in Iron Horse only for dramatic effect. Does it work? You bet! Does it make for good literature? Nope.

It's a story that is chock-full of stereotypes (hence it has a readily-accessible, universal appeal) and it would be a good made-for-tv movie with all of the dramatic elements that include Ojibwa mysticism, drinking, fighting, scandalous sexual abuse, the Catholic Church and, yes, even Canada's true religion: hockey.

Regardless of what Canada Reads says, should you read this novel? It can't hurt you, but it certainly won't inspire you beyond the covers.

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Review: Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Brant Pitre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my favorite book by Catholic theologian Brant Pitre. In this latest hermeneutical work, Pitre explores the historical, cultural and biblical roots of the idea of Jesus defining Himself as the Bridegroom of the Church and, by extension, since we all participate in Christ's Mystical Body, of all the Faithful.

Every Catholic priest must familiarize himself with this important, significant catechesis and teach it from the pulpit.

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Review: The Name of God is Mercy

The Name of God is Mercy by Pope Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading yet another book by Pope Francis. I especially found it rewarding to learn a bit more about what influenced the Pope's views on the virtue of mercy. Following a format used in publishing some of his previous books, a Vatican journalist submitted a list of questions to Pope Francis and he answered them at his leisure. So, (thankfully) no off-the-cuff comments from the Pontiff in this missive. Anyone familiar with the Pope's views on mercy, especially as they relate to the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, will find his personal answers heartwarming and full of practical advice.

Unfortunately, this book was released before the publication of Pope Francis' latest apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, so there is no discussion of any of the controversies contained in that text.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning why the Pope (and the Catholic Church) believes that God's mercy is such a necessity for people (believers and non-believers alike) navigating our secular modern world.

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Book Review - Pray for Me

Pray for Me: The Life and Spiritual Vision of Pope Francis, First Pope from the Americas by Robert Moynihan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an interesting book that explores Pope Francis' childhood influences, adult religious influences and some of his thoughts on a variety of topics affecting the Church. Moynihan also goes out of his way to show the theological continuity between Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

Although I would not classify this book as "must read" for Catholics, it is an important book that helps to explain the sources of Pope Francis' more popular/controversial comments and actions which at first might appear to go against Church doctrine or tradition.

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Book Review: Five Loaves & Two Fish

Five Loaves & Two Fish by Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A truly amazing and inspiring book.

For anyone feeling overwhelmed over the assaults on our Faith, this collection of prayers and autobiographical reflections by persecuted Vietnamese Catholic Bishop Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan will lift your spirits and open your heart to discipleship.

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Review: A Decent Ride

A Decent Ride by Irvine Welsh
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

My first impression upon finishing this book: It ain't no Shakespeare.

Of course, I don't mean the language. Welsh has a unique voice, and that's why I've always enjoyed his novels. What disappointed me about A Decent Ride was that there was no moral arc to the story.

Juice Terry suffers through the torments of Job (sort of) and, surviving these travails, he learns nothing. This is unfortunate, since there seemed to be so much room for personal growth. I am willing to give Welsh the benefit of the doubt, since I respect him as a skilled craftsman of fiction, and accept that Juice Terry is meant to be irascible, but that is small comfort for the two weeks I spent reading this story.


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Review: Doctor Sleep

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this sequel to The Shining, although I had to get over the new Danny Torrance as a grownup, drunk, lousy human being.

Alcoholics Anonymous figures prominently in the story, and at times it reads like King wrote the novel to fulfill one of the Twelve Steps.

But the story is well-plotted (as always with King) with memorable characters, and the idea of the True Knot, with the evil Rose the Hat as their leader, was frightening.

I found the story to be an entertaining read. Like most Stephen King novels, you don't come away any smarter, but you're rarely disappointed with the time you spent in his company.

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Review: Make Something Up: Stories You Can't Unread

Make Something Up: Stories You Can't Unread by Chuck Palahniuk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Up front, I'm a huge Chuck Palahniuk fan, so it's no surprise that I loved this eclectic collection of short stories.

The collection features the "typical" Palahniuk heart-wrenching plots and odd characters.

I especially loved "Romance" which is available online, read by Palahniuk himself. I think it should be considered for an O. Henry award.

For readers who have never read Fight Club or anything else by Palahniuk (my favorite novel is Rant), I would recommend this sampler. If you like these stories, you'll love just about everything else he's written. And if you've read everything else by Palahniuk (and love his edgy writing), then you'll love these stories too.

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Review: The Sea

The Sea by John Banville
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again, the Man Booker Prize selection committee does not disappoint!

I loved this wonderful story about a tortured man trying to cope with the depth (and breadth) of his anguish. I'm also thankful to Banville for introducing the artist Bonnard to me. Impressionism is not my favorite style, but I would love to see some of these paintings in an exhibit. Like Banville's story, the paintings present indecipherable slices of ephemeral dreams, gossamer realities, where the interloper wonders about her place in the world, as does narrator Max.

And lovers of language will re-read many of Banville's beautifully crafted sentences.

The Sea was my first John Banville novel, but I look forward to reading many more!

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Review: Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ of the Holy Father Francis : On Care for Our Common Home

Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ of the Holy Father Francis : On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I understand that the Church (and especially Pope Francis, taking his name from St. Francis) has to make a formal statement about the Church's social doctrine and this is the optimum time to say something about the pastoral care of our planet and its varied cultures and denizens, but I question the efficacy of disseminating this message in an encyclical.

First of all, Laudato Si' could use an edit. It is at least twice as long as it needs to be. I found it repetitive and tedious.

Also, the Pope's message is intended for everyone, yes, but he mostly addresses the issues of two social groups: the disenfranchised poor and the consumer/capitalist-oriented rich; the haves and the have-nots; first-world and third-world peoples. The main problem is that these two groups have different lived experiences and so speak different languages. For example: what do people in North America know about digging through mountains of garbage to find the day's food? What do third world people know about shopping at Wal-Mart and being faced with the "choice" of thirty different chewing gums?

I fear that each group will only be able to relate to their own situation and, as the Pope warns, the poor (who have no political clout) will continue to suffer for the rich's selfish consumerism.

The text had barely been released and critics (American media) were already criticizing the encyclical's communist-leaning themes. So much for the worldwide collaborative effort to eliminate the problem at the geo-political level.

The Church does not need yet another document outlining its social doctrine, or bemoaning the destructiveness of miss-used technology. The track record speaks for itself, especially in Gaudium et Spes - the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.

Sadly, as far as the issue of the Earth's care is concerned, no dire words of warning issued from the Vatican (a moral voice that even many misinformed Catholics are ignoring more and more these days) will create the necessary economic or social revolution.

Consumers will simply not delay instant gratification for a 'possible' environmental change to be enjoyed by a 'possible' future generation.

Pope Francis, and all idealists, welcome to the future: it is now.


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Review: Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart

Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Jacques Philippe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book doesn't crack my Top Five Essential Catholic Books to Read, but I would put it in sixth or seventh spot. This is the first book/treatise by Father Jacques Philippe that I've read, but I will be reading many more. Searching for and Maintaining Peace is a book that does exactly what it says it will do. I enjoyed Fr. Philippe's straightforward commonsense, yet profoundly theological, style and approach to finding peace and maintaining it both in everyday life and in a Catholic context. Explaining and understanding the issue of sin is fundamental to his treatise. Fr. Philippe is not a Carmelite, but he draws time and again from St. Thérèse, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. I highly recommend this short treatise to anyone who might be interested in deepening their Catholic spirituality.

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Book Review - The Hidden Treasure

The Hidden Treasure: Holy Mass (with Supplemental Reading: Novena of Holy Communions) [Illustrated] by St. Leonard of Port Maurice
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this book St. Leonard argues against the common view expressed in the sentiment: "What's one more Mass, more or less?"

He presents numerous arguments why it does make a difference, and why the believer should attend as many Masses as possible for the safety and care of his/her soul.

Along with these arguments, the small book contains prayers and acts, along with a novena.

Besides prayers to pray during the Mass (Chapter IV) there is also a chapter on spiritual exercises in preparation for Holy Communion and Confession (Chapter V). Chapter VI lays out a program of rules for living well.

This book is definitely worth reading, but if you don't already attend Mass every day, St. Leonard probably won't convince you to change your ways - although, who knows, the reader might be convinced to attend more than once a week on Sundays.

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Book Review: Bought with a Price

Bought with a Price: Every Man's Duty to Protect Himself and His Family from a Pornographic Culture by Most Rev. Paul S. Loverde
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent resource for anyone either struggling with pornography addiction or for helping someone you know who is struggling. Bishop Loverde offers sound spiritual, scriptural, and pastoral advice for individuals, priests and families who are affected by this disease. His approach is one of warm understanding and forgiveness.

In this short, accessible book Bishop Loverde argues against four popular misconceptions that pornography is acceptable and even 'normal'. His practical advice is designed to help individuals, families, parish men's and women's groups, and priests. The text includes advice, prayers, a study guide and suggestions to seek professional counselling, if need be. And the Bishop even provides an action plan to further challenge society and its casual acceptance of pornography.

This is an important text for anyone wanting to understand, combat and counteract the insidiousness of pornography.

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Book Review - A Confederacy of Dunces

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For fans of farces, Boethius and Don Quixote, this is a must read!

Otherwise, readers might want to pass on it. Although I am not a Boethius scholar, I enjoyed the convoluted plot and subplots, and the main reason I continued to read was to see how they would all be resolved.

The main premise can be summed up as: an obese man, Ignatius J. Reilly, living by Boethius' ethics (The Consolations of Philosophy) cannot seem to (physically or spiritually) fit into the 'modern world' of 1960s New Orleans.

I've never liked the cover, which is one reason for my not having read Toole's novel until now. I had trouble with the datedness of the text: Ignatius' Quixotic attitude toward 'corrupt' civilization and its 'corrupt' denizens, the social situation (read stereotyping) of gays and blacks, activism, Freudianism and the odd motivations of some of the characters. I also had difficulty, on only one quick read, understanding the role of "Fortuna" and how Toole uses this Medieval concept in the application of justice to his characters.

Having said all of that, I would re-read this novel, since I think it does have an important message about the individual and her interaction with her social setting.

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Book Review - Crossing the Threshold of Hope

Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Pope John Paul II
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Be not afraid! (to read this book).

I loved this Q & A between an Italian journalist and St. John Paul II, but it did present some challenges. This book is unique in that the style is informal, yet the content ranges from deep philosophical theories (JP II's patented phenomenological background) to theology (in his replies he refers to many of the Church's Encyclicals and the Magisterium's documents issued after the Second Vatican Council).

The range of topics covered (the renewed Marian devotions, human rights, abortion and the culture of death, ecumenism, attitudes regarding Muslims and Buddhists, the Church's relevance in the modern world, the problem of good and evil, etc.) offers a goldmine of information on John Paul II's own personal views and those views are complimented with the Church's official position. The answers provided are succinct, yet complete.

Although it is clear that this interview takes place at the close of the twentieth century, most of the topics covered have been debated and explored by the faithful since Jesus' time.

Be warned, however, that one will walk away from reading Crossing the Threshold of Hope with a fairly extensive reading list.

This small volume of insights is essential reading for Catholics who take their faith seriously and for readers interested in further exploring Catholic theology and social doctrine.

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