Seven Secrets of Divine Mercy by Vinny Flynn (Ignatius Press, £8.99). Vinny Flynn, speaker and author of books on the Sacraments, makes devotion to the Divine Mercy attractively accessible to those who do not know of it. Particularly important for this Year of Mercy, Flynn’s work explores in simple language the divine revelations to the Polish nun Sister Faustina. The “Secrets” are the author’s humorous way of sharing keys to faith, such as “Prodigal doesn’t Mean Bad”, “Good Enough isn’t Good Enough” and “The Goal is Transfiguration”. His book should be read by anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of God’s unending love.
The House with the Lilac Shutters and Other Stories by Gabrielle Barnby (Thunderpoint Publishing, £8.99). This book of short stories casts a thoughtful and perceptive eye on the human emotions, secrets and motives behind behaviour. The stories can be read as discrete tales or as a series of interlinked passages, where the characters are connected almost as if by chance. Monsieur Lenoir, Irma Lagrasse, Fr Bartholomew, Clothilde and the others exhibit the frailties, foibles and sadness of ordinary people everywhere. The author has included some book club questions in this intriguing collection.
History and Presence by Robert Orsi (Harvard, £22.95). The historian and scholar of religion Robert Orsi reflects on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist as presented in Catholic teaching. With reference to Marian apparitions, the cult of the saints and other divine-human encounters, Orsi constructs a theory of presence for the study of contemporary religion and history. Many interviews with individuals devoted to particular saints and relics are included in this fascinating study of how people process what they believe.
Poems from the Vineyard by Penelope Tremayne (Pasticcio, £8.99). Penelope Tremayne is a poet and writer in her 80s living in Cornwall. Her poems reflect the intensely varied experiences of her life, as well as her deep Catholic faith. Some are written for friends, like the late poet Peter Levi. Another is addressed to TS Eliot’s Prufrock. Several evoke exotic places abroad to which she has travelled and one was composed “while waiting in the Labour Ward”. All of them are crafted carefully, with a sure ear for diction, rhythm and rhyme. Tremayne exhibits a cultured sensibility, delighting in the eccentric byways of beauty.
The Devil in the Valley by Castle Freeman Jr (Overlook Duckworth, £12.99). Langdon Taft, an ex-schoolteacher adrift in cheap Scotch and regrets, is living a life of quiet desperation in the Vermont hills when a strange visitor named Dangerfield shows up on his porch. The opening quote from Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus keys us in to the identity of this new caller. Taft makes a deal with Dangerfield but instead of asking for money, power and women, Taft uses his new gifts to help people, thus upsetting the Devil’s plans. A fascinating twist on the age-old story.
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