| Author | |
ElisabethGrace
Forum Pro
Joined: Aug 17 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 130
|
| Posted: Jan 10 2006 at 7:31pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
After having read through many of the recommended blogs on the forum & just reading the forums in general, I am in awe of all of you. The wide variety of reading you do amazes me.
I adore reading but have lately felt that my reading is scattered. I feel as if I am running from one subject to another. I do have a system for taking notes from my reading and enjoy looking back over these notes.
This year, I want to follow a plan of study/reading for some of the many books I've already purchased!  I have the Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and have actually already read it to prepare myself. But then I began thinking about what I would not be reading if I use the WEM and study the classics. I am talking about Church history, theology, saints, marriage & family...
My question to you all is how do you choose your reading material? Do you have a vague plan in mind?
Thanks so much for sharing your lives through this board and your blogs. I am learning so much!
Angela
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ElisabethGrace
Forum Pro
Joined: Aug 17 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 130
|
| Posted: Jan 11 2006 at 9:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Umm, I just realized that Natalia posted just about the same question earlier!
Not many have answered her thread & I would still be curious as to your reading plans whether you answer this thread or Natalia's.
How embarrassing! 
Angela
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Marybeth
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2005
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1277
|
| Posted: Jan 11 2006 at 11:57am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Don't be embrassed....it is hard sometimes to follow all the threads. It just goes to show you and Natalia are great minds which think alike! 
I tend to devour books by authors I enjoy. Here is a quick list (the books tend to cover all aspects of our faith ie: Mary, saints, Church topics, etc.)
Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Pope John Paul II
Fr. Lovasik
Thomas Merton
I don't have a plan in mind when I choose Catholic books. I think the Holy Spirit just moves me in a certain direction.
I have currently on my bookshelf waiting to be read~
The 33 Doctors of the Church Fr. Christopher Rengers, OFM Cap.
Cracking Da Vinci's Code James L. Garlow and Peter Jones
Happy Reading to you!
Marybeth
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Natalia
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1343
|
| Posted: Jan 11 2006 at 4:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi Angela!
Don't be embarassed! It is difficult to keep up with every thing going on on these boards. Plus if somebody asks the same question maybe we will get more answers
I am in the same place you are. I read a lot but my reading is all over the place. I read 53 books last year but a lot of them were fluff. There is nothing wrong with fluff and sometimes that is just what I need. But I would like to have some order to my reading, some goal that even when I detour (or rabbit trail?) from it, I can come to it.
As a I mentioned on the other thread, I would like to follow TWTM. Her approach appeals to me. I just haven't had the chance and the energy to do it. As far as spiritual books is concerned I usually read what I feel I need at the moment. Last year most of my spiritual reading centered around love and kindess because it's what I needed (and still need) to grow on.
Some day I would like to read through some of JPII's encyclicals.
I would say that my reading is divided in three main categories right now:
-fiction
-spiritual
-homeschooling
I don't see myself, at least in the next year, begining any deep study of the faith.
If you are interested in creating a plan for yourself that includes Catholic material I know that Fr. John Hardon published The Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan. I have never seen it so I don't know what it includes. But you could use it for the Catholic part of your plan. Another idea: do you
get the Ignatius catalog you could devise a plan using their catalog. You could divide your Catholic reading into categories like Marian, apologetics, Scripture, theology, philosophy, catholic novel, biographies. You could pick one book in each category you come up with and work through that list throughout the year.
Blessings,
Natalia
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: Jan 11 2006 at 5:05pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Natalia wrote:
| If you are interested in creating a plan for yourself that includes Catholic material I know that Fr. John Hardon published The Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan. I have never seen it so I don't know what it includes. But you could use it for the Catholic part of your plan. |
|
|
Someone posted on this book at the Lit Alive! eloop about a year ago. I understand it's very deep reading, definitely for adults, not kids. The person who posted the info (I'm thinking Maureen Wittmann) gave a link, the TOC, and a review. It was very good. I'll see if I can locate it and post it here...
But right now we're leaving for my grandmother's house. Today's her b-day. She's 82 yrs young  and we're having cake and coffee  .
So, I'll search when I get back... 
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Jen L.
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 18 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2148
|
| Posted: Jan 11 2006 at 11:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Here's some info on the Lifetime Catholic Reading Plan
Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan
In this complete lifetime reading plan, noted Catholic author and educator Father John A. Hardon has compiled an invaluable guide to books discussing what the Catholic Church is, what it believes, and what its great teachers have thought, felt, and imagined. Father Hardon journeys through the centuries to find the authors he believes can be read for spiritual profit. In his appraisals of over a hundred writers, he considers pertinent biographical information, recommends favorites, and provides moving quotations from the books under discussion. His range is wide—he is illuminating on both the inspirational writing of St. Therese, the Litle Flower, and the fundamental assertions of faith by St. Francis. Religious literary masterpieces such as St. Ignatius Loyola’s “Spiritual Exercises” are noted, as are less well-known authors, including St. Robert Bellarmine, whose “Disputations” was used by the First Vatican Council in drafting its definition of papal infallibility. Father Hardon also recommends modern novelist, and shows how the works of literary giants such as Dante, Chaucer, and Cervantes are anchored in underlying principles of faith.
for sale here at Grotto Press
__________________
Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 10:49am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Here's a couple more links:
Father Hardon article about the Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan
This booklist came up when I Googled:
Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan
I have the book and like it. I think using it as a spine for spiritual reading sounds like a good idea.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 10:56am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh good, I was going to mention this list. Father McCloskey was my spiritual director for a short time...you can also catch him on EWTN. This list is his own, not based on Father Hardon's book, even though it's a similar name. Some of the authors/books are recommended in both lists. Fr. C.J. loved Newman and the other writers of the Oxford Movement, so you see his list is heavily in that area.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 10:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
The way I choose my general reading material is by what my kids are reading now or will be reading in the next year or two! I save the "fluff" for holidays and hospitalizations. I do that because of my discipline problem -- I'm a bookworm and could (and have) sat around all day reading mystery novels, if I let myself.
I know some people who started a Mom's group to read through all the MODG high school readings while their kids were still pretty little. That way they could have a head start on thinking about the readings before their kids were actually there. I thought that was a pretty good idea.
Anyway, their booklists are here
Honestly, I do something similar to MaryBeth with my spiritual reading. I pick up a book and it leads me to another one, and then to another. Sometimes I have two going at once. Not very systematic but it works.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Jen L.
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 18 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2148
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 1:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't know if the list on the Catholic Information Center's website is related to either of the other 2 lists, but it is also called Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan. I do know that it is a good, extensive, faithful, list. Link.
Now all I need is about 10 or 20 years as a hermit to get it done!
__________________
Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 1:28pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jen L. wrote:
| I don't know if the list on the Catholic Information Center's website is related to either of the other 2 lists, but it is also called Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan. I do know that it is a good, extensive, faithful, list. Link. |
|
|
That's Father McCloskey's list, as I mentioned before. He used to run the CIC...yes, very faithful!
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Natalia
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1343
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 1:37pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jen L. wrote:
| Now all I need is about 10 or 20 years is a hermit to get it done! |
|
|
 My thoughts exactly!
Natalia
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 2:05pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Now, y'all had me with the Catholic List -- and I'm really trying to read more really good books that are Cahtolic but why, oh why is Kristen Lavransdatteralways on the lists? I read the first book of the three and thought it was horrible -- is this going to be another one of those Flannery O'Connor things where I have to take a college level course to understand it?
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ALmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 18 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3299
|
| Posted: Jan 12 2006 at 2:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We have Fr Hardon's book - and it is great but takes a lot of slow, careful thought. I haven't had the time to do what I would like in it.
A priest recommended Kristen Lavransdatter (with the caveat that it was earthy but had a lot to say about relationships) and I read it to preview it to see whether or not to pass it on to oldest dd. My decision definitely not - but I will say you have to read all 3 books to get the real message out of it. You are left with a very wrong idea if you only read one. It really did have a lot to say about purity and the how a bad decision early on taints the relationship long after it has been regretted, confesseed, forgiven and changes made.
In the end, I'm like Willa. I generally learn, and read what dc are. I actually benefit quite a bit from this. Right now my dd wants me to read a section from Karl Marx to help her discern what he said about religion and Jews and discern whether or not it was anti-semitic. I have also had to read some classics (Catholic and secular). I really try to read whatever each are doing in religion because if we only discuss one subject - it is religion. Our 14 yo is doing the CHC virtue tree and I'm trying to do it with her (I'm slowing the progress down but it is quite an insight), I'm also trying to do her Confirmation Prep with her (really jarred me about some of the responsibilities I'd conveniently forgotten), our oldest is doing a Bible study and we will need to discuss Mark together so I'll be reading and meditating on that for a while. I also have on the shelf the Ignatian Retreat - been feeling like we should do that together. It was part of dd lesson plans last year from Kolbe - but didn't get to it. Will probably have to wait till summer as I tend to get distracted and cannot focus on too much at a time.
I do want to go back to Fr. Hardon eventually. Also I have been looking at a book in Roman Catholic Books about music in the liturgy as dd is facing some issues here and we need some advice on what to do and how to handle things respectfully and tactfully.
So I guess the long and short is that my reading here is not particularly planned or organized but seems like God sends what I really need through the dc. Even read alouds for the youngest seem to hit me with something or make me ponder (thinking about the Weight of the Mass).
Janet
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Victoria in AZ
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 672
|
| Posted: Jan 20 2006 at 11:58pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
ALmom wrote:
A priest recommended Kristen Lavransdatter
Janet |
|
|
Has anyone seen the movie by the same name?
__________________
Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmom
Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2120
|
| Posted: Jan 22 2006 at 12:28am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Victoria in AZ wrote:
Has anyone seen the movie by the same name? |
|
|
I didn't know there was one. I read Kristen Lavransdatter a few years ago precisely because it was so highly recommended by Catholic homeschooling moms. I found it rather difficult to get through and very dark, but a good book, none-the-less. I was never interested in continuing with the other two books.
__________________
~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmom
Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2120
|
| Posted: Jan 22 2006 at 12:35am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Some of my favorite light reading comes from previewing books for my girls. Sometimes I'll read things they would like to read now. Often I'll read ahead by a few years. I read my latest book, Eight Cousins, for that reason.
I was thinking earlier today that I have to be better about finishing books that I have started and lost interest in. I got about halfway through A Mother's Rule of Life a few months ago and let it drop. The other day, I decided it was time to finish it, even though I didn't have a particular desire to do so. I think the discipline of finishing good reading is important for me.
Last fall, I read most of JPII's Rise, Let Us be on Our Way. I had checked it out of the library, but lost steam in reading that too. Now today I found it on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble for $5. With the Educator Appreciation Week discount of 25 percent off, I bought it for $3.75. I will try to finish that after MROL.
__________________
~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Book Club
Topic: Choosing Self-Study Course
