For those of you looking for something to do over the summer (and over quarantine), we have compiled a list of texts at the recommendation of our staff and some affiliates. These texts vary from the Great Books to simply good texts remembering the spirit of Chesterton who had said that he had read a number of great books, but that he wished he had read more good ones. For those of you who embark on the challenge, enjoy your reading!
The texts have been broken down into genres or general categories for your convenience, and the recommender’s initials are listed beside the text.
BH – Mr. Hockel’s recommendations
CO—Ms. Ohotnicky’s recommendations
KH—Mrs. Hockel’s recommendations
LY—Ms. Yeh’s recommendations
RL— Deacon Lanciotti’s recommendations
SL – Mr. Lewis’ recommendations
Classics That Are a Pleasure to Read
· D’aulaires’ Book of Greek Mythology—arguably a kids book, but if you feel that you aren’t prepared for the reading in a classical education, this is simply a must-read. It will help prepare you with some of the cultural heritage of Western Civilization. (BH)
· The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – The pursuit of the American ideal set in the 1920s. The book has survived for ages for a reason; whether you love it or despise it, it’s a good read. (BH)
· To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – A modern American classic, this novel is a commentary on decency, character, humility, and wisdom. It is an enjoyable read that will captivate its reader with its captivating story and lovable characters. (LY)
· Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – One of the most famous romances of all time. Watch Jane grow up, learn to trust herself, and learn to love in 1800’s England. (SL)
· The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain – Simply one of my favorites. Discussing a litany of serious topics from a straightforward simpleness, this is perhaps one of the greatest American novels. (BH)
· The Tempest, by William Shakespeare—a ‘farce’ (that is, a play that utilizes fantastical elements and dances), which was Shakespeare’s last play. It is the story of a wizard father trying to love his daughter while overcoming the plots of a fishman. (BH)
· The Tragedy of McBeth, by William Shakespeare—also known as ‘The Scottish Play’, it is a story of witches and kings, of loyalty and lack thereof. (BH)
· Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare—a story of twins lost, a crossdresser, and three love triangles; this is the play where Shakespeare asserts the earliest arguments of true feminism that we have recorded in literature. (BH)
· Henry IV Part I, by William Shakespeare—a beautiful friendship between a regal king and a fat slob. Also, historical fiction. (BH)
· Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw—The comic play that inspired My Fair Lady. A linguistics professor tries to teach a poor flower girl to speak like the aristocracy and they try not to fall in love with each other. (SL)
· The Prose Edda, by Snorri Sturluson—this is the heart of Norse Mythology. (BH)
History/Historical Fiction
· Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – I haven’t seen the movies, but the book is better. The Olympics, World War II, sharks, and POW camps in Japan are just a few of the points of intrigues in the life of Louis Zamperini. (BH)
· Postcard from the Volcano, by Lucy Beckett—a story of the divergent friendship and philosophies of a few young German men during the outset of the World Wars. (BH)
· The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare—the story of Cassius and Brutus killing Julius Caesar. It is one of the best Roman plays Shakespeare wrote, and, as all of the plays I listed, a personal favorite. (BH)
· A Man for All Seasons, by Robert Bolt – The classic play depicting the life of St. Thomas More and his conflict with King Henry VIII. The play chronicles the perseverance and holiness in the face of dire opposition. A great story of a truly great hero. (RL)
· Death Comes for the Arch Bishop, by Willa Cather— A historical novel that is a must read for every Catholic in Colorado. The novel depicts in captivating fashion, the rugged and challenging history of Catholicism in Colorado. (RL)
· Silas Marner, George Eliot. A heartwarming 19th C. novel about a linen weaver who has lost his meaning and finds it again by taking care of another. It is a beautifully written tale about personhood, community, and redemption. (LY)
· Night, by Elise Wiesel—this is an incredibly difficult novel to read, though it is short and simple language. Follow the autobiography of Wiesel as he somehow survives being a boy in a concentration camp. (BH)
· The Power and the Glory, by Graham Greene—Follow the story of an alcoholic, philandering priest as he struggles to survive the Mexican Revolution. He is hunted wherever he goes, he is ashamed of himself, and yet he cannot but recognize God’s continued love for him. (BH)
· The Saga of Grettir the Strong and Egil’s Saga—stories about the greatest Vik leaders to live, highly mythologized. (BH)
· The Heart of the Sea, by Nathaniel Philbrick—this is the retelling of the story which inspired Moby Dick. It’s horrifying, and so good. (BH)
Mysteries/Thrillers
· Agatha Christie—literally anything. But is you want specifics, look to Murder on the Orient Express, Mousetrap, or And Then There Were None. She’s amazing. (BH)
· The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle – The world’s greatest detective. These were my guilty reading pleasure through college, and are still treasures to excite the mind. (BH)
· Odd Thomas, by Dean Koontz—this is more ‘bubble-gum fiction’ that is finished quickly and not as substantial, but still a pleasant read. A young man has the ability to see the dead and must solve mysteries with their help. (BH)
· Frankenstein by Mary Shelly –Dark, scary, murderous, and philosophical: Dr. Frankenstein faces dire consequences when he tries to re-create life. */(SL)
· The Complete Father Brown Stories, G.K. Chesterton. A series of short stories in which a Catholic priest solves mysteries and crimes using his deep understanding of human nature. A fun way to get to know our namesake and a good introduction to his genius! (LY)
· The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy—a mysterious, daring Englishman and his band rescue French nobels from the shadow od the guillotine. This book keeps you in suspense through hair-breath escapes and wrestles with some of the patriotic and moral difficulties of the French Revolution. (CH)
Catholic Books
· Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilabagiza – A retelling of Ilabagiza’s experience during the Rwandan genocide. Despite the horror she sees, she survives, but it is her faith that allows her to move beyond survival and go back to living. (KH)
· “The Collected Short Stories of Flannery O’Connor”— These are not for the faint of heart; O’Connor’s every story is a question of grace and what happens when we do (or more often don’t) align ourselves to it. A fair warning: they will either give you nightmares or make you feel extremely uncomfortable, but worst of all they’ll make you really consider your faith. That’s why I named my daughter after her. (BH)
· Til We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis—before anyone tells me ‘Lewis isn’t a Catholic Author!’, I know. But that’s not the barometer for Catholic fiction. This is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, and it is marvelously well done. (BH)
· The Man Who Was Thursday, by G.K. Chesterton—if you want to see the absurd way in which I see the world, this might be the only text that can aid you. It’s sort of a mystery, and very much a chase. Enjoy if you attempt. (BH)
· Laudato Si’ (On the Care of Our Common Home) by Pope Francis— “The world, our home, is beginning to look like an immense pile of filth.” Pope Francis pulls no punches as he builds a theology for how humanity as a whole should relate to the rest of God’s creation. (SL)
· Theology for Beginners, by Frank Sheed— Have you ever wished that Mere Christianity was written by a Catholic? Frank Sheed has a surprise for you. (SL)
· The Lamb’s Supper, by Scott Hahn— Scott Hahn uses lots of puns to show how the Mass is rooted in the Book of Revelation. (SL)
· The Way of a Pilgrim— Russian christian spirituality centered on consistently praying the Jesus Prayer. “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (SL)
· The Seven Storey Mountain, by Thomas Merton—the autobiography of a modern monk. (SL)
· The Contemplative Prayer, by Thomas Merton— Merton shares the difference and connections between prayer, meditation, and contemplation. (SL)
· Gospel: A Poem by Stephan Scobie— The gospel story told as a series of first-person poems. I still cry because of the poem about St. Joseph. (SL)
· The Book of Tobit, The Book of Jonah, and The Book of Judith in The Bible– These books act like biblical “spin-off” stories and they range from heroic, to tragic, to funny. (SL)
· Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) by Pope Francis—Pope Francis literally wrote the book on evangelizing in the 21st century and we best follow his advice. (SL)
· The Violence of Love by St. Oscar Romero—A collection of homilies by the sainted Archbishop of San Salvador. St. Oscar Romero preaches freedom from sin through the Cross of Christ and from freedom injustice and through love. (SL)
· The Perfect Joy of St. Francis, by Felix Timmermans— A historical novel that brings to life the true character and life of St Francis of Assisi. Difficult to put down once you start reading, and it will give you a desire to visit Assisi! (RL)
· Manalive, by G.K. Chesterton—a mysterious but enlivening man in green arrives one windy evening at a sleepy boarding house and proceeds to rouse the lives of the residents in a most energetic, provoking, and thorough manner. A story which reveals Chesterton’s wholehearted and joyful attitude towards life and how to live it. (CO)
· God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith, by Cardinal Robert Sarah and Nicholas Diat. A simple conversation with the Cardinal over faith. (BH)
Other Favorites
· The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck—perhaps the only Steinbeck text I love, and I only love it because Kristen forced me to read it. It is the story of the American family struggling on to live and love each other well. It is, perhaps, the only secular American novel that has an understanding of hope and right labor. (BH)
· Animal Farm, by George Orwell—A strange and upside-down world that considers a political world where pigs, too, are political animals. The terrifying text flips the world on its head to see how the treatment of your fellow man (or mammal) becomes all the more necessary. (KH)
· The Symposium, by Plato— Socrates and his friends have some drinks and try to define “Love” in Plato’s most fun dialogue. It also records the earliest philosophizing of a woman philosopher. (SL)
· Children of Men, by P.D. James—The moody novel that inspired the excellent, if bloody, action movie. No woman has been able to conceive a child for the last 19 years. As humanity looses hope, a man is asked to protect what may be our last chance.
· The Pearl by John Steibeck—What would happen if someone found a literal “Pearl of Great Price” and how far would he go to keep it? (SL)
· The Princess Bride by William Goldman—Hilarious fantasy adventure focused on the love between a princess and a pirate. Even better than the movie. (SL)
· A Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.—Mr. Lewis’ favorite novel. Long after the nuclear apocalypse, a small monastery tries to maintain the faith and the knowledge of past generations while the world changes around them. (SL)
· Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis. A short and prophetic commentary on education, Truth, language, and thought itself. This short writing is a great introduction to objectivism vs. relativism and the importance of an education centered on Truth and reality. Its relevance will never go away. (LY)
· The Virginian, A horseman of the Plains, by Owen Wister—A Western adventure and romance novel, with an ideal cowboy as the lead character. It combines Wild West action with romance in which man and woman bring out the best in each other. (CO)
· “Long Walk to Forever, or Hell to Get Along With”, by Kurt Vonnegut – Probably the best American love story. (BH)
Sci-FI/Fantasy
· Out of the Silent Planet. by C.S. Lewis—The first book of his “Space Trilogy”. A rather boring British professor travels to Mars and watches the Garden of Eden story play out all over again with a different ending. The book is full of bizarre and weird symbolism and is one of the most fun Lewis books. (SL)
· Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis—a The second book in the classic space trilogy by Lewis. A religious allegory that provides deep insight into the garden of Eden, the original fall of mankind, and the potential for evil in modern man. Captivating and exciting! (RL)
· The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien. A story that needs no explanation. A perfect adventure for the summertime that is full of symbolism and lays the groundwork for one of the most popular and well-written series (LY)
· The Princess and the Goblin and/or Phantastes, George MacDonald. Written by the author who baptized the imagination of C.S. Lewis, these two novels are fantastical tales of courage, wonder, and mystery. One should always be young enough and old enough to read fairy tales again! (Note: Although you could say the first story is meant for children, I actually read this as a requirement my summer before AP Lit taught by Mr. Tullius. It truly awakens — baptizes as Lewis would say — the imagination!) (LY)
· The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson—While not a ‘great book’, it is a wonderfully fun one. A behemoth of a text that leads you to ask questions about right rule, the worth of even the most pitiful individual, and a marvelously imaginative world. (BH)
· The Saga of the Volsungs—it’s the Hobbit, but Norse mythology. (BH)
· “Harrison Bergeron”, by Kurt Vonnegut – an incredible short story that will fool you into loving literature. (BH)
· The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien— the best (albeit hardest) fantasy text of all time. Well worth your reading even just the first two chapters. (BH)
· The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis – want to pretend you can understand Heaven and Hell? Read this. (BH)