One Book . . .
During my silence, Maggie tagged me with the one book meme. So, here goes:
One Book that changed your life:
The Spiritual Exercises by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Not exactly a book to curl up at the beach with. It's more of a guide for the retreat director and retreatant. But no single text has had or continues to have more of an impact on my life than this one.
One Book that you have read more than once:
Poverty of Spirit by Johannes Metz. A short book that everyone would do well to read at least once. I reread it every few years.
One Book you'd want on a desert island.
The Bible. If I'm going to be stuck there for a while, this is the one book that I'm sure will continually surprise me. Some passages, no matter how many times that you've read them, always seem to hold something new.
One Book that made you laugh.
The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. One of the funniest books ever!
One Book that made you cry.
Traveling Mercies by Anne LaMott. Actually, this could easily have been in the previous category as well. This is a book of great spiritual depth and honesty which disarmingly can have one roaring with laughter on one page, and weeping the next! One of the best spiritual books of the last 10-15 years.
One Book you wish would have been written.
A follow-up to A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller. One of the best sci-fi books of all time. It's a shame we didn't have more from Mr. Miller.
One Book you wish had never been written.
The Davinci Code by Dan Brown. I actually haven't read the book, but if it had not been written it would have saved me sitting through that terrible movie!
One Book you are currently reading.
What is the Point of Being a Christian? by Timothy Radcliffe, OP. This former Master of the Dominicans is one of the wisest and most insightful men I know when it comes to Church matters this days, and just basics of the Christian life. This is a new book which offers sage insights and advice about many of the Christian church's current challenges. Note: This is pretty high praise coming from a Jesuit!
One Book that you have been meaning to read.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Yes, this is the book that I am ashamed to admit that I haven't read ("You haven't read To Kill a Mockingbird!" people say in shocked disbelief). One of the major gaps in my literary education.
One Book that changed your life:
The Spiritual Exercises by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Not exactly a book to curl up at the beach with. It's more of a guide for the retreat director and retreatant. But no single text has had or continues to have more of an impact on my life than this one.
One Book that you have read more than once:
Poverty of Spirit by Johannes Metz. A short book that everyone would do well to read at least once. I reread it every few years.
One Book you'd want on a desert island.
The Bible. If I'm going to be stuck there for a while, this is the one book that I'm sure will continually surprise me. Some passages, no matter how many times that you've read them, always seem to hold something new.
One Book that made you laugh.
The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. One of the funniest books ever!
One Book that made you cry.
Traveling Mercies by Anne LaMott. Actually, this could easily have been in the previous category as well. This is a book of great spiritual depth and honesty which disarmingly can have one roaring with laughter on one page, and weeping the next! One of the best spiritual books of the last 10-15 years.
One Book you wish would have been written.
A follow-up to A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller. One of the best sci-fi books of all time. It's a shame we didn't have more from Mr. Miller.
One Book you wish had never been written.
The Davinci Code by Dan Brown. I actually haven't read the book, but if it had not been written it would have saved me sitting through that terrible movie!
One Book you are currently reading.
What is the Point of Being a Christian? by Timothy Radcliffe, OP. This former Master of the Dominicans is one of the wisest and most insightful men I know when it comes to Church matters this days, and just basics of the Christian life. This is a new book which offers sage insights and advice about many of the Christian church's current challenges. Note: This is pretty high praise coming from a Jesuit!
One Book that you have been meaning to read.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Yes, this is the book that I am ashamed to admit that I haven't read ("You haven't read To Kill a Mockingbird!" people say in shocked disbelief). One of the major gaps in my literary education.
posted by Mark Mossa, SJ at 3:31 PM
6 Comments:
Thanks
Hope your retreat went well.
I agree that the spiritual exercises have changed my life but I never would have thought of them as one book because I have seen them in so many forms.
For Shame that you have never read To Kill a Mockingbird. Oh well, we can't all have read every good book.
Maggie
Actually I could swear that a sequel to A Canticle for Leibowitz was written ... I think I came across that reference on one of the sci-fi/faith blogs a while back. I'll look around for it.
Please do go get To Kill a Mockingbird. It is a unique book in that it is just as good upon adult rereading as it was when I read it as a youth (yoot). Although, of course, I understand things on a different level and POV now.
I knew you were a hoopy frood, who knows where his towel's at. There was a sequel started and finally released, St. Leibowitz and the White Horse Woman. It's not as good as the first, though. (Don't think I ever finished it, honestly.)
I loved Travelling Mercies ... I actually read it cover to cover one day at the bookstore. And I've been meaning to read the new Timothy Radcliffe book. He's great!
Welcome back.d
Glad that fr Timothy is well received on this blog!
Hey Mark,
Haven't tried out any sci-fi in a while, but once I get through the other books on my list, I may go for it. Just wanted to recommend the book I'm reading now: Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hahn. I'm planning on taking it with me to Eastern Point this coming Monday on my 7-day retreat. What is the Canticle for Leibowitz about?
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