Young Simon, recently and tragically orphaned, becomes a scribe in the following of the exiled Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket.  The uncertainty of the tumultuous years leading to the infamous cathedral slaying is heightened by Simon's separation from his twin Edmund, who is in the service of King Henry II. With an expert pen Barbara Willard deftly recounts events leading to the …

The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories by Thornton Burgess Graced by Thornton Burgess's very unique literary talents—his witty poems are as wonderful as his stories are captivating—The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories is refreshingly old-fashioned: Its tales are clean, wholesome, fun, innocent, and instructive. These are the type of horizon-opening stories …

The Mysteries of Life in Children's Literature by Mitchell Kalpakgian This most precious book is not a work of research or scholarship in the conventional academic sense. It is a book that is informed by many years of teaching the classics of children’s literature to large numbers of students who are generally unfamiliar with this body of knowledge, a treasury of the world’s perennial wisdom. …

Edited by Regis Martin If there be more truth in poetry than in history, as Aristotle teaches, then we must attend to what the poets have to say. T.S. Eliot, a poet whose rhythms and sonorities of verse rise with seeming majestic ease high above the usual dreary cacophony of our world, described poetry with mock-magisterial accent, "a superior amusement". Eliot's arresting formulation captures …

This absorbing guide to the mind behind Middle-earth will introduce or remind readers of the abundance that exists in Tolkien's thought and imagination. Interweaving sections explore The Lord of the Rings and its history; the key themes, concepts and images in Tolkien's work; the people and places in his life, and his other writings. At the heart of the book is an indispensable A-Z of …

Sister Miriam Pollard, OCSO This book presents a series of unique poems written by a Cistercian nun on a variety of spiritual topics. Sister Pollard, author of other spiritual works, uses themes connected with Scripture, the Liturgy, the life of Christ, prayer, nature and more. These beautiful and moving poems will deepen our awareness of God's presence in our lives and help us to respond …

Sister Mary Marguerite, C.S.J. (Imprimatur 1940.) This book is a beautiful garden full of stories that children will love, but best of all, stories that will remain forever in their hearts. PLUS it is a perfect teaching aid for children from ages 3-10. Separated into five parts—Part I: Basics, Part II: The Way of Virtue, Part III: Mother and Father, Part IV: The Saints, Part V: The Church …

Madeleine Verchere's story is based on a true account of colonial French Canada of the 1690's.  Harassed by Iroquois, the Verchere family's fort must keep a continual guard.  14-year-old Madeleine is left alone with two younger brothers and few others when the Indians attack.  We follow the brave and determined stratagems of Madeleine and her small circle.  Madeleine's …

G.K. Chesterton The Incredulity of Fr. Brown The Secret of Fr. Brown The Scandal of Fr. Brown The Vampire of the Village The Mask of Midas Introduction and notes by John Peterson G.K. Chesterton, one of the most prolific writers of the 20th century, is most famous for a series of mystery stories and novelettes that feature the Roman Catholic priest, Fr. Brown. The stories have proved to be …

Catholics: how many of your classics do you know? Now, one big volume introduces you to them all Traditional Catholics busy with life – and the struggle in the Church – often neglect good reading. Sometimes, they're less acquainted with their Catholic heritage than with the very enemies of the Church who concern them. It wasn't always thus. A thriving Catholic publishing industry once produced …

In The Light Of Christ - Writings in the Western Tradition by Lucy Beckett The good, the true and the beautiful—it is for these that our souls long. Though they reside in unity and perfection in God alone, the written word is one place we can discover glimmers of divine light. The writings of great souls can turn our gaze toward God as he is revealed in Jesus Christ. Even authors who do not …

Jose Maria Gironella Considered by many critics to be the greatest novel about the Spanish Civil War, this classic work by Spaniard José Maria Gironella is an unbiased account of the complicated events, movements and personalities that led up to the war. Beginning in 1931, Cypresses covers the next five years of political unrest, culminating in the explosion of the brutal war that wreaked such …

Catholic Stories For Boys & Girls (In four volumes) These happy and courageous stories were compiled and written by Catholic nuns in the 1930's. Styled to interest school-aged children, they will warm the hearts even of parents and grandparents. Excellent when read by children, even better when read to children by parents and older brothers and sisters. Stories of Our Lady, Good Deeds, the …

What do you get when you put twelve lively kids together with a father -- a famous efficiency expert -- who believes families can run like factories, and a mother who is his partner in everything except discipline? You get a hilarious tale of growing up that has made generations of kids and adults alike laugh along with the Gilbreths in "Cheaper by the Dozen. Translated into more than …

Long John Silver Returns Leonard Wibberley Then a voice hailed me from outside, calling, "Ahoy the blockhouse. Ahoy the blockhouse. Hold your fire. I am a Christian man." "Who are you?" I cried, rushing to the door. Not a soul was to be seen in the enclosure between the stockade and the fort itself. "Friend," came back the answer from beyond the stockade. "Hold your fire." I heard some …

Owen Wister Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2002, this powerful story of the silent stranger who rides into the uncivilized West and defeats the forces of evil embodies one of the most enduring themes in American mythology. Arriving in the Wyoming territory, the cowpuncher from Virginia sets out to win the heart of a schoolteacher and establish order in his new community. Includes an …

Saint Ignatius and the Company of Jesus August Derleth Vision Books This Vision book for youth 9 - 15 years old tells the exciting, dramatic story of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the order he founded, the Society of Jesus. As a young man, Ignatius had dreams of an adventurous life as a soldier. His dreams, however, did not come true the way he had hoped. Seriously wounded in battle, the soldier …

British airman Dym Ingleford is convinced that the young German prisoner, Max Eckermann, is his brother Anthony who was kidnapped years before.  Raised in the Nazi ideology, Tony has by chance tumbled into British hands.  Dym has brought him back, at least temporarily, to the family he neither remembers nor will acknowledge as his own.  As Tony keeps attempting to escape, his …

Msgr. Robert Hugh Benson Finally back in print! This is one of Robert Hugh Benson’s greatest achievements on the list of great books written by him during his short life. He incorporates Church history, world history, romance, intrigue, vocations, martyrdom, war, and family into a breathtaking historical novel. The setting is in 16th-century England. The story revolves around the gradual …