Catholic East Anglia edited by Francis Young (Gracewing, £14.99). This book traces the story behind the creation of the Diocese of East Anglia from the Diocese of Northampton in 1976, and also the 450 years of continuous survival of the Catholic faith in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The collective Catholic history of this region has never been brought together in one volume before, and it is richly rewarding to read of the quietly heroic lives of those who kept the faith alive during centuries of persecution, followed by discrimination and marginalisation. This is an important addition to historical scholarship.
Behold the Man by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers (Ignatius Press, £7.45). The author, who has hosted several popular series on EWTN, explores a key issue in this book: what is authentic male Catholic spirituality and how is it distinguished from those of other Christian groups? Using his knowledge of Scripture and Church teachings, he situates masculine spirituality in a covenant relationship with God and in embracing the Cross. Catholic men cannot be lukewarm in today’s world; they must actively engage in spiritual warfare to protect their families, their society and their Church. This is a very timely and insightful book.
Becoming Wise by Krista Tippett (Corsair, £16.99). The author, a popular radio broadcaster and New York Times contributor, brings together many of the people she has interviewed over the years in this stimulating and thoughtful Enquiry into the Mystery and the Art of Living, as her subtitle puts it. Those whose words of wisdom she cites include Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi, the Dalai Lama and Sister Joan Chittister. Tippett also reflects on the teachings of St Benedict, Buddha, Gandhi and Julian of Norwich, among others.
Kierkegaard and the Philosophy of Love by Michael Strawser (Lexington Books, £55). For the author, love is at the heart of Søren Kierkegaard’s intellectual adventure: how do we love another and how do we love God? The crucial task is to find some unity in love’s many variants – marital and romantic, with friends and neighbours – and Strawser identifies Kierkegaard as the subject’s first true phenomenologist, that’s to say, focusing on conscious, lived experience rather than relying on metaphysical distractions. As Strawser writes, philosophers are belatedly “warming up to love” as a meaningful topic, so this impressive book is very timely.
2666 by Roberto Bolaño (Picador, £12.99). Roberto Bolaño’s masterpiece, 2666, is an unfinished one. The author died several weeks before his liver transplant was due. This was the book he had been obsessively working on during the last stages of his life. It is filled with a raw poetry of despair and a wry, self-effacing humour. Taking in literature, art and the serial murders of more than 300 women in northern Mexico, Bolaño is at the height of his powers, conjuring up a novel that is as fragmentary and frightening as the world itself. This new edition is welcome.
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