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Friday, May 28, 2010

Two New Books



As always, I am happy to pass on any good spiritual books for summer reading. These are recently published and I have only dipped into each but they are worth adding to the list I keep on the right side of this blog.

One is by Joan Chittister and Rowan Williams and was highly recommended to me so I bought it. I like the theme and have always liked reading Joan Chittister, but her style is different in this book, I think, and makes it harder to know who is writing what so I guess that is good teamwork. I love the title: Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia For All That Is and it is published by Liturgical Press, 2010.
The book is divided into three sections: Discovering What We Are; Becoming Who We Are; Growing Into the Unknown. Each has short chapters that show us how we can sing a grateful "alleluia" for what is real and challenging in our world today.

The second book is one I intend to use for prayer this summer. It is Water, wind, earth & fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements by Christine Valters Paintner and is from Sorin Books, 2010. Paintner is a Benedictine Oblate who writes with knowledge of the mystics and contemporary spiritual poetry as well as ways to draw us into reflection and prayer. I think it is a book that will lead to contemplation.

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