Catholic Book Reader

  A week ago I was on a business trip in the south California valleys. When you are in the valleys, in every direction you look are mountains. They are majestic and beautiful so you pull out your camera to capture that sense of awe. I tried to capture the beauty so I could show it to my kids. After looking at the pictures, I knew that they would not do the landscape justice. Still, I did the best I could to convey it to them when I returned home. That is how speaking of this book is. There is a beauty that cannot be captured by explaining the book, you have to read it yourself.  Synopsis The book starts at the celebration of the Passover among Jesus and His apostles. It explains Christ commanding His apostles to prepare for the Passover meal It gives the events of the Passover and the secret movements of Judas. After completing the Passover, Jesus and His 11 apostles leave for the Mount of Olives. Christ then goes through His agony and you get a glimpse of the temptations and ...

Harry Potter is a lightning rod book series. Some say it is harmless fun with an epic good vs evil tale. Others claim it is demonically inspired fiction that is sure to lead your child to hell. Growing up, Harry Potter was a book series I read and watched all the movies, the sixth was the worst. I will present my thoughts on the series and if I would recommend it for your library.  Synopsis Harry Potter is an unlucky boy. We meet him after he has lost his parents and is forced to live with his unpleasant uncle, aunt, and cousin. We are told that he will be famous in the wizarding world but he will have no clue since he is living with his nonmagical family. He grows up with his aunt and uncle being treated like a second-class citizen while his cousin is spoiled rotten. Eventually, he gets a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. His aunt and uncle refuse to let him see the letters until a half-giant called Hagrid, delivers the letter himself. Harry is...

  Have you ever wondered why someone would choose Hell? I would hear it all the time growing up. Hell is a locked door but the lock is on the inside of Hell. I never could imagine that someone would voluntarily choose to suffer. The Great Divorce displayed how people choose Hell daily.  Synopsis The narrator (I will call him Lewis for C.S. Lewis) finds himself in a vast gray town. It has a glow over it that you see at dusk or predawn, there is debate about whether the morning or night is approaching the town. This faint light never changes. Lewis stumbles around until he reaches a bus queue. He doesn't know what he is waiting for exactly but he is at the end of a long line. There is no way everyone can fit on he thinks, and then the line shortens. Fights break out, some people just leave of their own will and Lewis gets a seat on the next bus that arrives. He uneasily talks to the other riders until he looks outside to see that they are flying in the air to a high cliff. When ...

  Coraline - Curiosity Gone Wrong Coraline is a fantastic book that gets a bad reputation due to the movie. The movie has a heavy emphasis on being creepy and using frequent jump scares. The book has profound themes in it, and it is a book I have read to my own children.  Synopsis Coraline is a girl who has just moved to a new flat in the Pink Palace along with her parents. In this large divided house, Coraline has neighbors in the basement and roof flat. One rainy day after exploring the house, Coraline finds a door that leads to the empty flat, or so she thinks. Her mother opens the door to reveal a solid brick wall on the other side of the door.  Coraline is disappointed but keeps thinking about that door. Her roof neighbor tells her not to open the door, while the basement neighbors read her tea leaves to tell her she is in grave danger. Even with these warnings, Coraline decides to open the door when her mother makes a grocery run.  When she opens the door she f...

  As I end my 20s, I have begun to see the deep impact that books have had on my life. Some I picked up at a friend's request, others were classics, and some had a great synopsis. Some changed my life, others were a waste of time. I hope to use my experience with these books to help you find what is right for you without wasting time on the bad ones. Every book I read, I find a way to relate them to my Catholic faith. I am Thomas McAnerney, a former teacher, former HVAC technician, former factory worker, and now a sale representative for a book company. I have four kids, a fifth on the way, and a loving wife. I have attended diocesan and traditional parishes. I have seen my fair share in my 29 years but the wisdom I have gained has all started from God and the right books.