What to Read

Take Command
Joe Hart and Michael Crom
Simon & Schuster, 256 pages

At its core, Take Command is a remedy for those obstacles to personal growth ranging from simple insecurity to the victim mentality. Using wisdom gleaned from the philosophy of Dale Carnegie, it challenges the reader to live a principled, intentional life in which one embraces responsibility for one’s thoughts, emotions, relationships, and future. This means developing healthy habits and practices to handle stress and build courage, adapt to change, and overcome regret. It means establishing trust with others, maintaining strong relationships, and understanding the perspectives of others. It further means defining one’s values and purpose so as to make a difference in the world. It’s a fine rallying call for those at all levels of leadership.

Twelve Great Books: Going Deeper into Classic Literature
Joseph Pearce
Ignatius Press, 226 pages

The recognized true classics of literature — sometimes referred to as the “great books” — are classics for a reason: they are expertly written, convey timeless truths, and have exerted considerable influence in shaping Western civilization. Generations raised on some of the pablum that passes for modern literature sorely miss out. Here, Joseph Pearce walks the reader through a dozen true classics of literature: St. Augustine’s Confessions, four of Shakespeare’s best works, and notables from the past two centuries from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. Even those already familiar with the works presented will find deeper insights and appreciation through Pearce’s masterful guidance.

How the Saints Shaped History
Randall Petrides
Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 
373 pages

The saints didn’t become saintly just by sitting around being virtuous and praying… OK, maybe some did. But most of them were busy in active apostolates doing the Lord’s work, and many helped change the course of history. What would the world look like today if not for the likes of Sts. Peter and Paul, Constantine, Charlemagne, Gregory VII, Joan of Arc, Ignatius, and Teresa of Avila, to name a few even before we hit the Renaissance? Randall Petrides’ thorough work takes one into the modern era with recent saints like Katharine Drexel, Oscar Romero, and John Paul II. It’s a marvelous sweeping overview of nearly 200 saints across Christian history.