Every year, I make a New Year’s resolution to get through 100 books a year. I’ve met them the past to years, and I’m on track for a third year (thus explains the numbers). Since last year, I’m been very briefly reviewing them, usually just a sentence or two, at the end of each month. Here I hope to expand on them slightly, and bring attention to the good and deter the bad.
#53. 20 Answers- Apparitions & Revelations, by Michael O'Neill
This was a very interesting, if brief, booklet on a few famous alleged apparitions and private revelations. I definitely plan on looking further into them. I am surprised at how few people know about them, and how little there is, both defenses and rebuttals, on some of them.
#54. St. Anthony's Chapel
I bought this from St. Anthony's Chapel in Pittsburgh. The Chapel contains thousands of Christian relics. The book is a collection of articles and info about the Chapel and the founder of the Chapel. An interesting place!
#55. Why We're Catholic, by Trent Horn
I found this to be a surprisingly good "intro" book, the kind that might be handed out to people, and does a pretty good job of covering all the basics. It begins by laying out the foundation with the assertion of objective truth, then an apologetic on Christianity, and then Catholicism.
#56. AA-1025
This is, supposedly, the edited memoirs of a Soviet communist spy assigned to infiltrate and dismantle the Church from within. I couldn't find much more on whether it was true or not, but it certainly reads like it was written by a communist, or someone who understands them well. Supposedly, a nurse had a patient that was unable to speak, and died. While searching through his belongings for identification, she found his memoirs.
#57. 20 Answers- Witchcraft & The Occult, by Michelle Arnold
Arnold does a pretty good job at providing a brief dive into the occult, not to slander and simply rant about it, but the warn and critique it in a persuasive manner.
#58. 20 Answers- Scripture & Tradition, by Jim Blackburn
Blackburn does a good job at briefly making the charitable case for the relation between scripture and tradition. I found it persuasive.
#59. 20 Answers- Jehovah's Witnesses, by Trent Horn
Trent’s book on JWs is written charitably, but does not hold back in explaining the troubles with the organization and its followers.
#60. Defend America First, by Garet Garrett
I bought this years ago, and I regret not reading this until now. It is a collection of Garrett's war articles published in the Saturday Evening Post leading up to WWII. If you were told that the war began suddenly with an attack on Pearl Harbor, you would be quite mistaken. This is not a history textbook, but unedited articles, most of them written before the war began. They are strong condemnations of FDR and the U.S. government’s involvement in the war and taking sides, while lying to the American people and pretending neutrality. A must read.
#61. A Traditionalist Confronts Fascism, by Julius Evola
Evola is difficult for me to read, because he is so far outside the Overton Window. Some of these articles are quite good, especially the last one critiquing "The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich" and what it gets wrong.
#62. 20 Answers- Atheism, by Matt Fradd
Another short booklet that, I think, probably could benefit from being a bit longer, but is written in that Q&A format that can be a helpful resource.
#63. How The West Won, by Rodney Stark
I think Stark overstates his case a bit, but this is still an excellent book. Stark is known for his thesis that Christianity is the reason for the rise of the West, it's achievements, inventions, morality, and science, etc. This book is very thoroughly researched. Stark clearly knows his stuff. I highly recommend.
#64. Catholics & Fundamentalists, by Rev. Martin Pable
I don't recommend. I don't think it fulfills any niche or teaches much that other books couldn't do better. His definition of fundamentalism isn't very good, and honestly, I sympathized more with the fundamentalists, because his criticisms aren't very good.
#65. The Gospel's Power & Message, by Paul Washer
Despite my differences with Washer, I kinda like him. He is incredibly passionate, and that's clear from his writing. He's almost like a modern day stereotypical Baptist preacher, and although I can't say I benefitted too much from the book, I enjoyed it quite a bit, and his excitement is contagious.
The Benedictus is a missal for the latin mass, with side-by-side english and latin translations. I have been reading it cover to cover for several months. Each day includes a one-page excerpt of writings selected from a catechism, a saint, or a historian. I highly recommend it.
#67. 20 Answers- The Real Jesus, by Trent Horn
I know Trent Horn has written another book of the same title that is much larger. In this booklet, Trent summarizes the general historical conclusions on who Jesus was, then goes through the Minimal facts approach to argue that the resurrection is the only explanation that aligns with the facts.
#68. The Liturgy of The Hours (July 2022)
A second month going through the thrice daily Liturgy of The Hours. This is an excellent series and I recommend (second to the Benedictus).
I plan to continue these updates on my substack once per month, as I’ve been doing for a year on my personal social media. Since this is a departure from the usual posts, let me know if this is an unwelcome addition.