Some of my best friends are books. 🙂
A good book is like a fine companion who pours forth its treasures and lightens your days, strengthens your heart and inspires you to grow!
The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it. ~James Bryce
I put together this list of books that have especially helped me through the years. I have read much more than those mentioned on this book list…many, many books. Looking at my bookshelves you see that they are bursting….and this is only half of them. 🙂
All good books are special but the following books are extra-special. They stand out among the rest.
I know I have not thought of all of them and I may add to this list as I go along.
Some of the books that are on personal development may be a little controversial for you. I put them on this list, too, because they had a profound effect on me. I took what was in accordance with being a Catholic wife and mother and left they rest.
I like this quote and use it in this regard: “Although, as far as I can tell, some of my heroes have not known the light of Christ in this life, I nevertheless learn from them with great joy, remembering the words of St. Thomas, ‘All truth, by whomever spoken, comes from the Holy Spirit'” (On Truth, q. 1, a. 8).
Please note that this page has affiliate links. Thank you kindly for your support.
Spiritual Books:
Mary Was Her Life – Sister Maria Teresa Quevedo Mary Was Her Life: The Story Of A Nun, Sister Maria Teresa Quevedo, 1930-1950
Introduction to a Devout Life – St. Francis de Sales An Introduction to the Devout Life
Light and Peace – Quadrupani Light and Peace: Instructions for Devout Souls to Dispel Their Doubts
Achieving Peace of Heart – Fr. Narciso Irala, S.J. Achieving Peace of Heart
All About the Angels – Fr. Paul O’Sullivan
My Beloved – The Story of a Carmelite Nun My Beloved: The Story of a Carmelite Nun
Searching For and Maintaining Peace – Fr. Jacques Phillipe Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart
The Family That Overtook Christ – Father Raymond The Family that Overtook Christ
An Easy Way to Become a Saint – Fr. Paul O’Sullivan An Easy Way To Become A Saint
All About the Angels – Fr. Paul O’Sullivan All About the Angels
My Other Self – Clarence J. Enzler
Conversation with Christ. – Rev. Father Peter Thomas Rohrbach, O.C.D.
Treasure and Tradition: The Ultimate Guide to the Latin Mass – Lisa Bergman
The Hidden Power of Kindness: A Practical Handbook for Souls Who Dare to Transform the World, One deed at a Time – Fr. Lawrence Lovasik
End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life – Fr. Charles Arminjon, 1881
Jesus Our Eucharistic Love by Fr. Stefano Manelli
Happy Are You Poor by Fr. Thomas Dubay
With God in Russia by Fr. Walter Ciszek Sequel: He Leadeth Me by Fr. Walter Ciszek
The Friendship of Christ by Robert Hugh Benson
Family/Wife Books
Some Notes for the Guidance of Parents – Fr. Daniel A. Lord
The Valiant Woman – Monseigneur Landriot The Valiant Woman, Conferences for Women
Sins of the Tongue – Monseigneur Landriot Sins of the Tongue
Christ in the Home – Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J. Christ in the Home
The Wife Desired – Fr. Leo Kinsella The Wife Desired
The Man for Her (for the guys) – Fr. Leo Kinsella The Man For Her
Mary Reed Newland books with book review and links here.
The Catholic Family Handbook by Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik
The Catholic Marriage Manual – Rev. George A. Kelly The Catholic Marriage Manual
The Catholic Family Handbook – Rev. George A. Kelly The Catholic Family Handbook
By Love Refined – Alice von Hildebrand By Love Refined
The Privilege of Being a Woman – Alice von Hildebrand
Finer Femininity True Womanhood Maglet – Leane VanderPutten
Finer Femininity Advent/Christmas Maglet – Leane VanderPutten
Finer Femininity Sunshiny Disposition Maglet – Leane VanderPutten
All 3 Finer Femininity Maglets – Leane VanderPutten
The Catholic Mother’s Traditional Advent Journal – Leane VanderPutten
Prayer/Meditation Books:
My Prayer Book – Father Lasance My Prayer-Book (Happiness in Goodness)
The Precious Blood Manual – Sisters of the Precious Blood The Precious Blood and Mother: a Compilation of Prayers from Approved Sources
The Prisoner of Love – Father Lasance The Prisoner of Love
St. Julian Eymard Books here with reviews here: The Real Presence
Divine Intimacy – Father Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.. Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life for Every Day of the Liturgical Year
The Mass in Slow Motion – Rev. Ronald Knox
The Raccolta – These eight hundred prayers touch practically every spiritual and physical need, and every personal and societal hope.
A Catholic Missal for All Ages – Lawrence and Mary Ann Scheeler
Holy Souls Prayer Book – Fr. Lasance
Advent/Christmas Books:
The Catholic Mother’s Traditional Advent Journal – Leane VanderPutten
Celine’s Advent – Leane VanderPutten
Finer Femininity Advent/Christmas Catholic Maglet (Magazine/Booklet) – Leane VanderPutten
Personal Development Books:
Dare to Dream – Florence Litauer Dare to Dream
Personality Plus – Florence Litauer Personality Plus: How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself
Attitudes that Attract Success Attitudes that Attract Success: You Are Only One Attitude Away from a Great Life
Surrendered Wife – Laura Doyle The Surrendered Wife: A Practical Guide To Finding Intimacy, Passion and Peace
More Hours in My Day – Emilie Barnes More Hours in My Day: Proven Ways to Organize Your Home, Your Family, and Yourself
Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home – Emilie Barnes Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home: Creating a Place You and Your Family Will Love
Fascinating Womanhood – Helen Andelin Fascinating Womanhood
The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands – Dr. Laura Schlessinger The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands
Love and Respect – Emmerson Eggerichs Love and Respect
Courtship and Marriage and the Gentle Art of Homemaking by Annie S. Swan, 1894
Children’s Books:
The Catholic Girl’s Guide – Father Lasance The Catholic girl’s guide: Counsels and devotions for girls in the ordinary walks of life, and in particular for the Children of Mary
The Young Man’s Guide – Father Lasance YOUNG MAN’S GUIDE by Father Lasance
Leading the Little Ones to Mary – Sister Mary Lelia Leading the Little Ones to Mary
Mary Fabyan Windeatt books (there are many of them) – The Miraculous Medal: The Story of Our Lady’s Appearances to Saint Catherine Laboure
Beautiful Girlhood – Mable Hale Beautiful Girlhood
Cheerful Chats for Catholic Children – Leane VanderPutten
Catholic Mother Goose – Leane VanderPutten
Catholic Hearth Stories – Leane VanderPutten
Catholic Novels/History and Miscellaneous:
Outlaws of Ravenhurst – M. Imelda Wallace Outlaws of Ravenhurst
Come Rack, Come Rope – Robert Hugh Benson Come Rack! Come Rope!
Masterful Monk Series – Owen Francis Dudley The Masterful Monk
Louis de Wohl Books with book review and links here.
Three Religious Rebels – Fr. M. Raymond
The Man Who Got Even With God – Fr. M. Raymond
The Saga of Citeaux (Burnt Out Incense) – Fr. M. Raymond
A great book is “Meditations for everyday of the year” by Bishop Richard Challoner. The are thousands of good Catholics books from the 1800’s on PDF in Google books and Internet Archives. Many of of those books are available in reprints on Amazon.com
Great! Thank you for the recommendation!
I love books and love to read. I’m looking forward to going through this list. Books are my friends too. 🙂
I recently read Outlaws of Ravenhurst… it is marvelous! It is quite an adventure and I love the deep Catholic faith and devotion of the characters (at least some of them).
Thank you for this excellent list. Might I recommend The Secret of Firefern, an excellent and thrilling catholic novel which has recently been translated from French? Here is the link http://www.lulu.com/shop/louis-morvan/the-secret-of-firefern/paperback/product-23124968.html in case some might be interested. An unputdownable for 12 and up.
Just a small thank you for compiling such a comprehensive book list. These are truly gems of literary works.
It is wonderful to know there are other women in the world striving for those ideals which have sanctified society for centuries.
God bless you and your family, with prayers from Wales, UK.
Do you have any book suggestions for how one should approach raising boys to be well-rounded, capable men? Thanks for all you do here!
The Young Man’s guide by Father Lasance that is mentioned here is a great resource for raising up boys. My son is 11 and we are working slowly through it now. It’s more for boys in the teens but it’s full of information and may be useful to read on your own before going through it with your sons.
I am currently reading A Heart for Europe about the last Emperor of Austria-Hungary. He and his wife, Zita, were devout Catholics, and his faith deeply inspired his reign. It is a great story! Not terribly long, either, and it gives an excellent view of the time leading up to the outbreak of the First World War.
Worth a read!
I finished the book called “Story of a Soul” a few weeks ago. It’s the autobiography of Saint Therese, the Little Flower. What an incredible book!
You ought to check out it’s called Catholic household blessings and prayers 😀
What is the reading age recommended for ‘Beautiful Girlhood’?
Hi Lisa, it is a beautiful book recommended for as young as you think they might understand it. No graphic stuff involved. Maybe 10 to 12 years old? It’s been a while since I’ve read the whole thing. The author is Protestant but most of the material, from what I remember, is just generic good stuff.
I am looking for books authored by Father Daniel Considine, SJ – My name is Maria Atwood and I live in Colorado Springs CO – 719-573-2053
I have not been able to find any, Maria. His writings are wonderful.
Thanks for the list compilation …
Where can I get most of them ?
I am.in Nigeria
Hello.
About 20 years ago, I purchased a book from TAN publishing about Martin Luther. I believe it had a black cover with the commonly seen painted picture of Luther on the cover. I cannot remember the author’s name.
Time passed and I donated it to charity.
Recently, a family member who has been in conversation with a Protestant friend, asked me if I still had the book. I told her that I did not but would look it up and buy it again, used.
Much to my surprise, the book is nowhere to be found. Not only on different Catholic booksellers and publishers, but also not even available on Ebay. In fact, I can’t even find it on a common search on the internet.
Have you ever heard about, seen or read this book? It’s strange that it’s just disappeared.
Thank you,
Lisa
Wow. I just used a different search engine and found the book, and it was hiding in plain sight! It’s actually for sale with one of the booksellers! Thank you anyway!
Wonderful, glad to hear it!
What about Francis Finn novels for youth? For me they are a treasure.
Thank you for the suggestion!
Dear Mrs. Leanevdp,
Thank you for your website and all of it’s resources. I appreciate the book lists, can you suggest where I may purchase The Catholic Encyclopdia Set?