What book will you pick up this Lent? America editors have never been shy about making recommendations on this topic, and over the years, various contributors have also given suggestions on everything from Scripture to novels to devotional reading and more.
Catholic Book Club
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How America magazine learned to love Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day has not historically been the favorite holiday of America writers, but reflections on love have always found a home in these pages.
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Former Jesuit, failed Senate candidate and Nixon speechwriter: the colorful life of John McLaughlin
Richard Nixon called McLaughlin one of the only good Jesuits among “all-out, barn-burning radicals” in a conversation with Billy Graham.
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Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton and the modern antiwar movement
A year after his death, a look back on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh—and his influence on many American writers on nonviolence, mindfulness and contemplative spirituality.
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Putting Vatican II into action: The life of Archbishop John Quinn
In his many articles for America over the years (his first appeared in 1968), Archbishop John Quinn tackled issues ranging from synodality to sex abuse to the priest shortage to abortion. Do those sound familiar today?
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The life and legacy of John LaFarge, a Jesuit pioneer for racial justice
John LaFarge, S.J., a longtime editor at America, was also one of the nation’s leading advocates for racial justice beginning in the 1920s.
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The secret to Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s power: ‘A thinking head and a feeling heart’
Archbishop Fulton Sheen used radio, television, books and more to evangelize for decades—including some spicy articles for America.
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When Pope Benedict debated theology with Cardinal Kasper in America magazine
Long before he became Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote an essay for America on the universal church.
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Translating ‘the greatest novel in the Italian language’: Michael Moore on restoring ‘The Betrothed’ to its rightful place in world literature
Michael Moore, the translator of the Catholic Book Club’s latest selection, ‘The Betrothed,” on the process of translating the famous Italian novel.
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An invitation to God’s party: On the meaning of Christmas
George W. Hunt, S.J., editor in chief of America from 1984 to 1998, wrote about some of our nation’s most famous authors. But he was a gifted writer himself, as seen in his many Christmas essays for the magazine.