The Best Books for Christmas
On Thursday’s Direct to My Desk, we asked you to recommend a book to give a loved one for Christmas. Here are your answers, along with a list of Al’s favorites.
Calls from our Listeners
A Rosary Litany by Fr. Edward Looney
Return: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church by Brandon Vogt
Common Sense 101: Lessons from Chesternon by Dale Ahlquist
The Second Greatest Story Ever Told: Now is the Time of Mercy by Fr. Michael Gaitley
33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat In Preparation for Marian Consecration by Fr. Michael Gaitley
Meditations on Vatican Art and Meditations on Vatican Art Angels by Fr. Mark Haydu
The Sacrament of the Present Moment by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
How to Be Holy: First Steps in Becoming a Saint by Peter Kreeft
Answers, not Promises by Mother Angelica
Listen My Son: St. Benedict for Fathers by Fr. Dwight Longenecker
Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To: Divine Answers to Life’s Most Difficult Problems by Anthony DeStefano
Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly
Seventeen Steps to Heaven by Leo Trese
Dear and Glorious Physician: A Novel about St Luke by Taylor Caldwell
Drinking with the Saints: The Sinner’s Guide to a Holy Happy Hour by Michael Foley
The Pieta Prayer Book by St. Bridget
The Catholic Warrior by Robert Abel
Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
Introduction to Christianity by Pope Benedict XVI
Sword and Serpent and The Tenth Region of the Night by Taylor Marshall
Struck by Lightning by Gloria Polo
God or Nothing by Cardinal Robert Sarah
The Public Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Fr. Alban Goddier
Treasure in Clay by Fr. Fulton J. Sheen
Mary, Queen of Scotland by Margaret George
My Life with the Saints by Fr. James Martin
Al’s Favorites
Divine Renovation: Bringing Your Parish from Maintenance to Mission by Fr. James Mallon
Hard Sayings: A Catholic Approach to Answering Bible Difficulties by Trent Horn
Behold Your Mother: A Biblical Defense of the Marian Doctrines by Tim Staples
Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith by Bishop Robert Barron
Vibrant Paradoxes: The Both/And of Catholicism by Bishop Robert Barron
The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ by Brant Pitre
The Christ Files: How Historians Know what they Know about Jesus by John Dickson
The Global Vatican: An Inside Look at the Catholic Church, World Politics and the Extraordinary Relationship between the United States and the Holy See by Ambassador Francis Rooney
The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints by Ralph Martin
The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament
The Tragedy of US Foreign Policy: How America’s Civil Religion Betrayed the National Interest by Walter McDougall
75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know: The Fascinating Stories behind Great Works of Art, Literature, Music and Film by Terry Glaspey
Silence by Shusako Endo (Al only recommends this for very mature Christians.)
Getting Religion: Faith, Culture and Politics from the Age of Eisenhower to the Era of Obama by Kenneth Woodward
Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War by Dr. Sebastian Gorka
The Day the Revolution Began: Reconsidering the Meaning of Jesus’ Crucifixion by NT Wright