2021 Book Review
Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I found this book to have a healing effect for me. It helped me see how connected I am to all of humanity, we all have one thing in common— our human weakness. Much like how most of the characters in the book are related to Fyodor Karamazov, a man with few morals, our lineage traces back to the fall of Adam. I personally connected with the main character Alyosha in a scene when he is conversing with his brother, Dimitri (if I’m not mistaken). His brother insinuates that Alyosha is free from the struggles of concupiscence, because Alyosha is in seminary and has a decent reputation. However, Alyosha replies he is really not different, rather, that the same “parasite” or weakness exists in him as well. I was really moved by Father Zossima, who was an incredible character; the love and reverence he had for even the lowest and debaucherous individuals was so compelling. The complexity of each character and the way the story was woven together easily makes this one the best books I’ve ever read. What I took away was that despite our weaknesses as humans only real and Christlike love can transform us.
Favorite quotes:
"Very different is the monastic way. Obedience, fasting, and prayer are laughed at, yet they alone constitute the way to real and true freedom: I cut away my superfluous and unnecessary needs, through obedience I humble and chasten my vain and proud will, and thereby, with God’s help, attain freedom of spirit, and with that, spiritual rejoicing!"
"Very different is the monastic way. Obedience, fasting, and prayer are laughed at, yet they alone constitute the way to real and true freedom: I cut away my superfluous and unnecessary needs, through obedience I humble and chasten my vain and proud will, and thereby, with God’s help, attain freedom of spirit, and with that, spiritual rejoicing!"
Altogether You by Jenna Riemersma
I really got into Internal Family Systems or IFS this year especially after listening to IIC podcasts. IFS is a model of psychotherapy centered on the idea that in each person there exists a unity and a multiplicity, much like an orchestra. There are individual instruments making up the whole orchestra, similarly there are parts of us that exist. Oftentimes these parts need to be understood and integrated in order to experience deeper peace in our lives. The framework suggests that in each of us exist our managers, the parts that want things to go smoothly, the parts that help us be productive. There are also our firefighters ,the parts that often manifest themselves in escapist behaviors, like overworking, binge eating, excessive daydreaming. Then, there are the Exiles. These parts of us hold our deepest wounds and memories. In learning about and managing our parts ,the goal is to find inner harmony. However, this book explored IFS, but took it a step further from the secular model, it invites the reader to take these parts to the Lord in a deeper way. It really helped me understand myself better, particularly in moments of internal conflict like St. Paul references, I know what I'm supposed to do but instead I do what I hate. Instead, this book has helped me to recenter the different parts of myself and orient myself towards the Lord.
Clean Love in Courtship by Fr. Lawerence G. Lovasik
Nothing like timeless wisdom. Honestly, this world is just so confused when it comes to dating, most Christians aren’t very helpful when it comes to being a good example or lending sound advice. We are called to be holy, which technically means being apart from the world. I think this books clearly lays out how to be holy and prudent with it comes to dating There were many points that resonated with me, however I had never really heard much about the dangers in immodest conversation, I found what the author, Fr. Lovasik had to say on the matter very enlightening. This book gives such holy and easy to apply advice. It is so refreshing and practical. I would advise anyone to read it.
Favorite Quotes:
Deliverance Prayers by Fr. Ripperger
Although this book isn’t exactly literature, I found it to be a game changer in terms of my prayer life. I really trust Fr. Ripperger, I’ve been listening to a lot of his sermons on Youtube for years now.. So naturally I needed this book written by him. I found the prayers in Latin especially powerful.
Favorite prayer:
Prayer to Protect Faculties
Lord Jesus Christ let your Precious Blood flowing from Thy wounded Heart cover me, my cogitative power, memory, imagination, common sense power, sensitive appetites, my sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell, (and any part of your body they are affecting) driving the demons to the foot of thy Cross where they may be judged by Thee. In the name of the Father, the Son + and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Honestly, I’m not done reading it. I’m really enjoying this book although it is so dense. It sparks a sense of wonder for both Nature and Man. I can say that because of this book I know a whole lot about whales, (although I’m not sure how useful this knowledge is at times) and a whole lot more about humanity.
Favorite Quotes:
“ It does seem to me, that herein we see the rare virtue of a strong individual vitality, and the rare virtue of thick walls, and the rare virtue of interior spaciousness. Oh, man! admire and model thyself after the whale! Do thou, too, remain warm among ice. Do thou, too, live in this world without being of it. Be cool at the equator; keep thy blood fluid at the Pole. Like the great dome of St. Peter’s, and like the great whale, retain, O man! in all seasons a temperature of thine own. But how easy and how hopeless to teach these fine things! Of erections, how few are domed like St. Peter’s! of creatures, how few vast as the whale!”
Chapter 68, Moby Dick
Kindness by Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik
Wow, this book blew me away. I was most blown away by the importance of having kind thoughts. Our thoughts are the roots of our actions, from kind thoughts come actions. Ultimately, those acts make up our character. This book gave many practical and realistic ways to exercise the kindness we are called to live out as Christians.
Great quote:
“Your silent thoughts are like the roots of a plant. They remain hidden in the dark recesses of the earth, but from them stems the whole plant--its life and form, its strength and beauty. From them and through them the plant lives and dies. So, too, your thoughts, although hidden, are your real, vital force.”