Every single one of Flannery O’Connor’s stories is about the transformative action of Grace in the soul – usually the soul of someone self-satisfied like Mrs. Turpin in “Revelation.”Continue readingGrace and Purification in Flannery O’Connor’s “Revelation”
Year: 2012
T. M. Doran’s new novel, Toward the Gleam, is both an homage to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and a gripping tale in its own right. No Tolkien or Inklings fan should fail to read this book. Continue readingThe Fellowship of the Book
Medieval Christian poetry transformed the concept of heroism so that, even in the godless modern world, heroes are expected to be self-sacrificing.Continue readingEpic Poetry and the Moral Imagination
A recent book by John Bergsma, Bible Basics for Catholics: A New Picture of Salvation History, helps Catholics regain a sense of the unity of Scripture and points the way to grasping the real meaning of the Bible.Continue readingLearning to See the Bible Whole
This four-step analysis, boiled down from Mortimer Adler’s How to Read a Book, can help you understand and assess intelligently almost any book.Continue readingRead Any Work with Greater Understanding
“Sometimes God gives you a sign, sometimes BILLBOARDS!” Flannery O’Connor’s over-the-top weird characters are just her way of trying to get your attention.Continue readingFlannery O’Connor and the Overwhelming Power of Grace
I’ve always felt a kinship with Flannery O’Connor. I hope to meet her in heaven, but until then I’ll read what she wrote, and biographies that others have written about her.Continue readingMy Friend, Mary Flannery
Check out my new blog on Catholic Social teaching, where I demonstrate a 4-step method of understanding almost anything you read.Continue readingLearn to Read Intelligently, Even When You Are Out of Your Depth
I have launched a new site for the Year of Faith Reading Project I mentioned in a recent post. Now if you click the tab at the top of this page, you will automatically be redirected to the new…Continue readingUPDATE on Year of Faith Reading Project
My idea for the Year of Faith: read the documents upon which Catholic social doctrine is founded, starting with Rerum Novarum. This will remind us of how our faith can inform the way we interact with the world.Continue readingNew Reading Project for the Year of Faith
Catholic Philosopher Chick asks the question: can a woman be feminine and respected for her intelligence, too?Continue readingReview: Catholic Philosopher Chick Makes Her Début
A good screen adaptation of a literary work should convey the author’s intention, not the movie maker’s. Continue readingFrom Book to Screen: Filmmaker Beware