The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom

This is a great book for anyone high school age or older. I have used it with my own teenagers as a "religion" text, letting them choose a selection each week to read aloud and discuss. We have given it as a gift to high school graduates and people received into the Church at Easter. My teenagers and I often note in the inscription our favorite selections as places for recipients to start, since the size of the book may seem overwhelming at first. We've received the most enthusiastic thank you notes ever! I've often called this book "the gift that keeps on giving," because when one finds a selection that speaks to him/her strongly, he or she is motivated to buy the book from which it comes, and thus continue the process of deepening one's faith. It's great!

This is an indispensible resource which should be in the home of every Catholic, particularly Catholic parents seeking to orient young adults to the scope of Catholic culture. Father Hardon, a lucid writer and shrewd editor, has compiled in one volume an essential compendium and introduction to 2,000 years of Catholic writers. Some selections are doctrinal, some historical; selections of poetry are also included. The excerpts are in chronological order with short introductions by Father Hardon to each. The excerpts are also the core of the core of each writer chosen, excellently chiselled out without losing anything, complete in themselves. The book easily lends itself as a teaching resource; it could constitute an entire course for lecture followed by discussion. This book is likely the most value for the dollar of anything in Ignatius Press' quality catalog.

This book is a treasure! Fr. Hardon introduces the work of more than 100 great spiritual writers from as early as the first centuries A.D. The works of the writers included in the book are currently in print so this is an excellent resource for those who have read the classics and are looking for more good spiritual reading ideas. He gives a brief synopsis of each writer's life, spirituality etc. and discusses their works. Each profile ends with a reading recommendation from the writer's collection. I came across this book by 'accident' after searching for something of it's kind to guide me on my spiritual reading selections. It is worth it's weight in gold. I have been wishing for something like this for a long time.