Catholic Weddings

Books!

What are you reading?  What books have you read that you love and would highly recommend?

Right now, I'm reading Good News about Sex and Marriage by Christopher West (recommended by several of you ladies!)  I'm not super far into it, because so far it's the kind of thing that you really want to pay attention to and take your time with. 

I'm also reading One Fifth by Bushnell, with H.  It's got some sexually graphic moments here and there, but otherwise I'm enjoying it for the entertainment factor.  It's about the high society scene in NYC, following several characters. 

Speaking of books with sex scenes/innuendos, promiscuity, etc., how do you determine whether it's something you'll read/watch?  I know some people who won't expose themselves to any tv, book, etc., that treats sinful behavior as okay, and I totally respect that.  For me, I don't go quite that far.  I'll read a book that I find entertaining or enlightening in spite of immorality being portrayed, as long as I don't feel like it's leading me to sin, or to have a casual attitude toward sin. 

 

Re: Books!

  • Right now I"m reading Odd Hours - it's the fourth book in the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz (love his books).  I also am slowing getting through Les Miserables on my Kindle, but it's sooo long, I need to take the occasional break.  I also am slowly getting through Good News, we got it at our marriage prep seminar, and I've been reading it in bits and pieces.

    I have no problem reading a book or watching a movie that portrays some type of sinful behavior - I know that I'm able to separate the book/movie as a story for entertainment, and not necessarily as an example of what's right for me in my own life. 
  • I also love and frequently re-read Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, and The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (about Dinah, daughter of Jacob)
  • What are the Odd Thomas books about?  What about Poisonwood Bible? 

    I LOOOOOOVE the Pierced by a Sword series by Bud Macfarlane.  It's a trilogy, but the first book is by far the best, IMO.  It's a little dramatic, and even far-fetched at moments, but it's really entertaining AND very Catholic. 

     

  • Tami87Tami87 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited August 2012
    I also LOVE Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver!

    It is about a protestant missionary family who moves from the US to a small village in the Belgian Congo. The narrator switches between the mom and the four daughters. It is kind about each girls experience growing up in a missionary family. It also shows the political turmoil that overtakes the Congo in the 1960s. While the book is very critical of the missionary father and his misguided attempts to force Christianity on the village, there is one small scene where a group of nuns is shown in a positive light in the fact that they are actually caring for the people which I found interesting.

    I really enjoyed the book. It kind of focuses on how the daughters grow up in this environment and how each matures and comes into their own spirituality or life choices different from their father. Highly recommend!
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  • agapecarrieagapecarrie member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited August 2012
    I've read bud mcfarlane books at least 4 times each. Love them. Changed my spiritual life, and made me want to go to mass more.

    Also, something similar is "Fatherless" "Motherless" and "Childless" by brian gail.

    It's catholic fiction, and not necessarily apolcolyptic, but very good. Researched science in them. I've read only fatherless, but I will read the others soon
  • I might have to try Fatherless...thanks for the recommendation!  I read and re-read Pierced by a Sword many times, but I haven't read it for a few years.  I love the characters, and the plot is really intriguing. 

     

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_books?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:adac5996-d6b4-496a-bb59-3d990f4259dcPost:ca1f05d8-0166-46e6-93a1-990f70d4ccd7">Re: Books!</a>:
    [QUOTE]What are the Odd Thomas books about?  What about Poisonwood Bible?  I LOOOOOOVE the Pierced by a Sword series by Bud Macfarlane.  It's a trilogy, but the first book is by far the best, IMO.  It's a little dramatic, and even far-fetched at moments, but it's really entertaining AND very Catholic. 
    Posted by Resa77[/QUOTE]

    The Odd Thomas books are about a character names Odd Thomas, who has some supernatural-type powers (ability to see the dead, but they can't speak to him, and has some premonitions of the future).  In each book he's involved in helping to save people from some type of tramatic/catastrophic event.  Not the best explanation, i know :)  Just trying to look them up to get a better description, I see that there are a few more books in the series coming out. Yes!
  • I'm on the sixth book in the Game of Thrones series (A Dance with Dragons).  I am also working on reading the whole way through the Bible right now.  =)

    Re: Sexually explicit.  I don't really like to read smut.  I've taken issue with the Game of Thrones series because the characters are SO YOUNG and experiencing some pretty heavy stuff, and occasionally I just have to laugh because it's clear that the author has no idea what "feels good" for a woman (or just doesn't care) but it's a great fantasy series.  I have found myself really getting into it.  The show is pretty extreme, but that's par for the course for an HBO show.  I don't have too much of a problem with it because, like PP, I can separate fiction from reality.
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  • im reading a delightful book now called The Magic Room.  its about a family owned bridal shop in michigan and the brides who shop there. 
  • I just bought (Monday evening) and finished (yesterday afternoon) The Night Circus, by Erin Morgentsern. I loved it and it's now on my all-time favorites list.

    I'm about to start A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness.

    I don't like over-the-top explicit material, which is why I will never read the Shades of Grey books. It's just a waste of literary space that could have been better used to actually tell a story.
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  • Omg 50 Shades sounds disgusting.  I definitely won't read books that are all about sex.  If a book happens to have sex in it, and isn't trying to drag out sex scenes, I'll tolerate it. 

     

  • 50 Shades is not just gross, it's REALLY poorly written.  There are blogs that are JUST making fun of the terrible writing.  That's the only way I know any of the content from the books -- ha.
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  • Prof - would you say the Game of Thrones tv show and books are pretty accurate to eachother?  We just watched the first season of Game of Thrones on Netflix since we don't have HBO, and I was thinking of starting the books and seeing how far I got before the next season comes out. 
  • Erin, yes.  That's one of the things I really do love about the show, is that it REALLY stays in line with the book.  Well, the second season and the second book are kind of different.  The show is a lot more graphic with the sex scenes, which makes the books easier to read (I think).  My biggest problem (especially with the first book, the rest are more toned down) is that all the characters, especially the young ones, are about two years younger in the book than they are in the show.  So if you think about everything that happens to, like, Daenerys in the first season, and then imagine her only being like 13... it really creeped me out to the point where I wasn't sure I could keep reading.  H had to keep promising me it would get better.  I'm hooked, now!

    There is some stuff from the third book that they put in Season 2 and some stuff from the second book that was in Season 1, but it wasn't anything huge and earth-shattering.  There were just a couple of times where I would be like, "Hey, that's not supposed to happen yet!"
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  • Good to know - definitely adding those to my list!  Might be good for a honeymoon read, since I'll have seven days, I'll need plenty of reading material!
  • I just started Game of Thrones after The Mister and I watched the first season on HBO. It got to the point while watching it that we just made fun if the gratuitous sex and gore in it... As you said, par for the course for an HBO show. But the storyline was obviously good enough to get me to start reading I'm about 40 pages in to the first book. Aside from that, I'm reading some non fiction about creating a crafting business, something I've been trying to get started for the past year. And also Goodnight Moon on a daily basis ;
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_books?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:adac5996-d6b4-496a-bb59-3d990f4259dcPost:6ca02497-c651-4b57-bb85-4d956e1f01aa">Books!</a>:
    [QUOTE]What are you reading?  What books have you read that you love and would highly recommend? Right now, I'm reading Good News about Sex and Marriage by Christopher West (recommended by several of you ladies!)  I'm not super far into it, because so far it's the kind of thing that you really want to pay attention to and take your time with.  I'm also reading One Fifth by Bushnell, with H.  It's got some sexually graphic moments here and there, but otherwise I'm enjoying it for the entertainment factor.  It's about the high society scene in NYC, following several characters.  Speaking of books with sex scenes/innuendos, promiscuity, etc., how do you determine whether it's something you'll read/watch?  I know some people who won't expose themselves to any tv, book, etc., that treats sinful behavior as okay, and I totally respect that.  For me, I don't go quite that far.  I'll read a book that I find entertaining or enlightening in spite of immorality being portrayed, as long as I don't feel like it's leading me to sin, or to have a casual attitude toward sin. 
    Posted by Resa77[/QUOTE]

    Honestly, One Fifth is one of Bushnell worst books but I admit that I giggle a bit when I walk by the building. (My hair guy is on the next block) plus it's right on Washington Sq.Park which has it's own attractions.

    I thought about picking up 50 Shades two weeks ago when I had an almost 4 hour train ride but got the next Bushnell book, Trading Up, instead. (Let me know if you want to read it and I'll send it to you) Since when are paperbacks $17.50? sheesh!

    I asked M what she thought of Shades because I know everyone her age is reading it and she's in the ad business as well.   She told me that there must be well written porn around somewhere but that sure wasn't  it. Obviously, as her mother, I have never asked if she had read porn before but she's a big girl and capable of making her own judgements.

    Personally,I think that  erotica is more intriguing than porn.  Let's leave something for the imagination and don't degrade the human body
  • Oot, if One Fifth is her worst, then I'm interested in reading the rest!  I like her writing style, and while this book was pretty slow to start, I'm super into it now.  I am someone who tends to find an author I like, and then read everything she ever wrote.  I am like that with Marian Keyes -- she writes about some heavy stuff (alcoholism, divorce, etc), and her characters are certainly not shining examples of morality, but I love her writing.  One minute you're crying, the next you're ribs hurt from laughing so hard.  I've never had another author cause such strong, and yet opposite, emotions.

     

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_books?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:adac5996-d6b4-496a-bb59-3d990f4259dcPost:7d4279ea-ef35-4b87-a362-e6d15fd417e4">Re:Books!</a>:
    [QUOTE] And also Goodnight Moon on a daily basis ;
    Posted by TeaForMe[/QUOTE]

    We are a Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? family. Seriously, C loves looking at the pictures, so we read it daily and talk about the animals.

    I just want to cast my vote for anything by Barbara Kingsolver. My personal favorite is The Bean Trees. I don't agree with everything she says in all of her writing, but I love the way she writes it. She makes me think. Plus, she lived in Tucson for a very long time (some of her work uses it as a setting, including The Bean Trees), and Tucson holds a very special place in my heart.

    I also want to thank you for the variety of recommendations -- I've been looking for some good reads lately.

    When it comes to sex, violence, etc. in tv/books/movies, there is definitely a line that I try to stay behind. I know that I am susceptible to media-tainting of what I see as acceptable, so I need to be cautious. I also know that I'm now responsible for teaching C what is right, and want to be very deliberate in what I expose her to and in what I model as appropriate. I am reminded of former Supreme Court Justice Stewart's comment regarding porn: it's hard to define, but I know it when I see it.
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