George Orwell’s crusade against the misuse of language resulted in his name becoming an adjective—and his writing becoming more and more relevant in our age.
Books
Posted inBooks
Building a Palestinian theology amid the ruin
‘The Cross and the Olive Tree’ allows peace advocates in the Middle East to imagine a new year with a glimmer of hope.
Posted inBooks
Review: Rediscovering a forgotten theological force at Vatican II
With her new study of Marie-Dominique Chenu, O.P., Mary Kate Holman offers a major contribution to ressourcement scholarship and the history of Vatican II.
Posted inCatholic Book Club
Roald Dahl, the literary magician, reluctant atheist—and theologian?
Roald Dahl’s reputation has taken some hits over the years, but the magical quality of his children’s books endures.
Posted inCatholic Book Club
Another year over, a new one just begun: ‘America’ on N.Y.E.
Over 117 years, the editors of ‘America’ offered plenty of advice and exhortations (and warnings) for New Year’s Eve…but also reminded readers always to have hope.
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Review: the catholic Catholic imagination of John Darnielle & the Mountain Goats
John Darnielle’s ‘This Year: 365 Songs Annotated’ collects lyrics from, and brief reflections on, 365 different Mountain Goats songs. Catholicism saturates his lyrics, which include references to saints, heretics, the rosary and the Bible.
Posted inCatholic Book Club
Knute Rockne and the legacy of Notre Dame football
To Notre Dame fans as well as to a certain portion of the American Catholic populace, Knute Rockne remains a mythic figure—the founding father of the legend of the Fighting Irish.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Review: The U.S. church today—and tomorrow
‘Reclaiming American Catholicism,’ coming in at nearly 400 pages, is a comprehensive and meticulous synopsis of many of the ills that are plaguing the church in the United States.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Review: Slavery and American Jewish history
The Jewish people in America have long punched above their demographic weight. Consider how deprived our science, music, letters, film and law would be absent the contributions of Abraham’s stock. Owing to this and all the discredited drivel about the American slave trade’s supposed Jewish hub, a fresh, thoughtful treatment of Jews and America’s original […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Review: A world inundated by trash
“Every day, the world discards 1.5 billion plastic cups, 250 million pounds of clothes, 220 million aluminum cans, 3 million tires.” These nearly ungraspable numbers are among the staggering revelations with which Alexander Clapp confronts us in ‘Waste Wars.’