Father’s Day is approaching fast! Looking for some quick but meaningful gift ideas? Here are four great books that we think every father should read!
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Father’s Day Book #1: The Everlasting Man
About the Author
G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) was an amazing man. I do not think I can do better than to quote Dale Ahlquist’s praise (read a fuller biography here):
“G.K. Chesterton was the best writer of the 20th century. He said something about everything and he said it better than anybody else. But he was no mere wordsmith. He was very good at expressing himself, but more importantly, he had something very good to express. The reason he was the greatest writer of the 20th century was because he was also the greatest thinker of the 20th century.
“…You cannot consider yourself educated until you have thoroughly read Chesterton. And furthermore, thoroughly reading Chesterton is almost a complete education in itself. Chesterton is indeed a teacher, and the best kind. He doesn’t merely astonish you. He doesn’t just perform the wonder of making you think. He goes beyond that. He makes you laugh.”
About the Book
The Everlasting Man has been called Chesterton’s masterpiece. In a word, it is a lively explanation of the truth of Christianity. The structure is quite unique. The first half of the book compares man with all the other animals and shows that he is unlike any other. The second half compares Christ with all other men and shows that He is unlike any other. Profound thoughts are combined with a witty style to produce a captivating work that has changed lives—reading this book was the deciding factor in C.S. Lewis’ conversion to Christianity!
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand Christianity better. There are so many wonderfully thought-provoking lines that if you tried to highlight them, you’d end up marking over half the book! One of my favorites? “Pessimism is not in being tired of evil but in being tired of good. Despair does not lie in being weary of suffering, but in being weary of joy.”
Father’s Day Book #2: The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise
About the Author
Robert Cardinal Sarah (1945-present) is the Archbishop emeritus of Conakry (Guinea), and is an outspoken member of the Roman Catholic clergy. He was consecrated a bishop at the age of 34, which made him the youngest bishop in the world at that time (Pope John Paul II called him “the baby bishop”!). His works have been internationally acclaimed and are a bulwark of traditional Catholic teaching.
About the Book
I will admit that I have not read The Power of Silence… yet. But everyone I talk to who has read it has spoken very highly of the book, even calling it life-changing. The reason I’m putting it on this list is that it’s one of the books I most want to read! I’ll be sure to write a book review when I do!
Amazon’s description of the book is as follows: “In a time when technology penetrates our lives in so many ways and materialism exerts such a powerful influence over us, Cardinal Robert Sarah presents a bold book about the strength of silence. The modern world generates so much noise, he says, that seeking moments of silence has become both harder and more necessary than ever before.
“. . . Cardinal Sarah seeks to restore to silence its place of honor and importance. ‘Silence is more important than any other human work,’ he says, ‘for it expresses God. The true revolution comes from silence; it leads us toward God and others so as to place ourselves humbly and generously at their service.'”
Father’s Day Book #3: Leisure: The Basis of Culture
About the Author
Josef Pieper (1904-1997) was a German Catholic philosopher who helped to revive interest in the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, perhaps the greatest theologian in the history of the Church. Pieper wrote about many philosophical and theological concepts in accessible language. Leisure: The Basis of Culture is one of his best-known works.
About the Book
Pieper challenges the world to consider the true meaning and purpose of leisure. Far from being mere idleness, it is a habit of receptivity—allowing oneself to be silent, to contemplate, and to understand the truth of things. Pieper claims that leisure is, as his title suggests, the very foundation of all culture, and that without leisure, no culture can exist. His message is a very important one for our times!
I have read from this book before, but it’s time to dust it off again. I’m actually starting a book study on it with a group of friends. It’s a great one for discussion!
Father’s Day Book #4: True Friendship: Where Virtue Becomes Happiness
About the Author
Dr. John Cuddeback is a professor of philosophy at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He has taught and written extensively about matters of friendship, family, and household. Therese and I have both had the honor of attending his classes, and I deeply respect him as a man and as a teacher.
About the Book
True Friendship is a distillation of the wisdom of Scripture, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, and others on the subject of friendship. Cuddeback explains that the deepest and most desirable kind of friendship must be founded on a virtuous life, while providing insights on how to cultivate such a relationship. Even though true friendships are rare in our day, they are extremely important for every one of us to pursue, since they touch the center of what it means for us to be fully alive.
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