Mr. Ives’ Christmas

Mr. Ives’ Christmas
by Oscar Hijuelos
HarperCollins, 1995
ISBN 0060171316
Mr. Ives’ Christmas is a melancholy tale that emphasizes the grayness and coldness of winter. One may not want to actually read it at Christmas depending on whether one’s outlook on the holiday tends to be on the darkish side or not. I read it this past [...]

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The Last Catholic in America

The Last Catholic in America
by John R. Powers
E.P. Dutton, 1973
ISBN 0829421300
The Last Catholic in America, like Catholics by Brian Moore, has been recently re-published by the Loyola Classics Series.   
The Last Catholic is typical of the many “I Survived Catholic Schools” memoirs about parochial school life before Vatican II.  It’s humor is affectionate and genial.  However, it [...]

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Franny and Zooey

Franny and Zooey
by J.D. Salinger
Little, Brown and Company, 1955
ISBN 3-316-76954-1
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger (which is actually two longish short stories published together as a novel) is not what’s usually thought of as “Catholic Fiction.”  However, I have a tradition of giving it to my nieces and nephews when they receive Confirmation, along with [...]

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The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
by Muriel Spark
J.P. Lippincott, 1962
A visitor to Sister Helena of the Transfiguration, formerly Sandy Stranger and now a cloistered nun renowned for the publication of her work in psychology “The Transfiguration of the Commonplace,” asks her “What were the main influences of your school days, Sister Helena?  Were they literary [...]

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The Last Hurrah by Edwin O’Connor

The Last Hurrah
by Edwin O’Connor
Little, Brown and Company, 1956
 
Frank Skeffington is running for mayor again, probably for the last time since he’s even now 72.  He has presided over this major eastern seaboard city (never named in the book) for much of his adult life and even spent two terms as governor of the state.  [...]

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