Fifty Books for Life

The trouble with new books is that they prevent us from reading old ones. That was the view of Joseph Joubert writing at the turn of the nineteenth century, and the problem is even more acute today. With fifty chapters on fifty books by fifty different authors, 50 Books for Life is a new book that reveals the riches of older ones, providing an accessible introduction to Catholic novels, plays, poetry, and non-fiction from every corner of the globe. Taking us from twenty-first century Korea to the Bible via the work of Waugh, Dryden, and Dante, 50 Books for Life is a guide that can be read from cover to cover or dipped into at spare moments. It is a book that points beyond itself to books that can engage us for a lifetime.

“Faithful Catholics today are professional salvagers, collecting and conserving elements of the high culture of the Catholic tradition to pass on to their children and grandchildren. This work is an important contribution to this salvage operation. It not only introduces the reader to the classical works of Catholic literature but is itself a literary treasure. It deserves a place on the bookshelf in the living room of every Catholic family.”—TRACEY ROWLAND, author of Portraits of Spiritual Nobility

“This book is a real gem. Succinct yet full of depth and sound literary judgment, it is a wonderfully accessible guide to many of the finest works of Christendom.”—JOSEPH PEARCE, author of Literature: What Every Catholic Should Know