Dorothy Day, American journalist, social activist and Catholic convert. c. 1916. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Dear Readers,

I need your depth and insight. I’m working on a project for both my teaching and writing, and for it I need a list of readings in the field of spiritual autobiography. Because of that, I’m asking for your recommendations. It could be a book, an essay, or an article; anything, really, that offers a personal account of a faith journey, a faith journey that has inspired you or moved you or reshaped your understanding of the spiritual life. The faith journey I’m talking about might entail a full scale conversion or it could be a transformation within the life of someone who already believes.  Either kind of story will do.  

I’d like the final list to reflect a mix of people from different time periods and backgrounds, with a good balance of male and female. Although my focus is on Catholic Christianity, I am open to suggestions outside that tradition.  

Having said that, what do you recommend? In the comment section below, please offer your suggestion(s) and a few sentences explaining why. That way, all readers can benefit.  

To save you some time, the following are already on my list:

  • The Confessions, St. Augustine
  • Surprised by Joy, by C.S. Lewis
  • In Good Company, by Fr. James Martin, S.J.
  • The Seven Storey Mountain, by Thomas Merton
  • The Autobiography of St. Ignatius of Loyola
  • The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day
  • The Language of God, by Francis Collins
  • Faith of our Fathers, by Eamon Duffy 

Thanks for reading and sharing your wisdom. I encourage you to send this post to others so we can build a long list. Thank you for your help; I am excited to see your recommendations!

Matt Emerson's essays have appeared in a number of publications, including AmericaCommonweal, and the Wall Street Journal. The Catholic Press Association named his September 2012 essay "Help Their Unbelief," published in America, as the "best essay" in the category of national general interest magazine for 2012. He is the author of the book Why Faith? A Journey of Discovery (Paulist Press 2016).Articles:Fruitful Searching (Jan. 5-12, 2015)Preambles for Faith (May 13, 2013)Help Their Unbelief (Sept. 10, 2012)Posts at The Ignatian Educator