Novels Christian/Catholic
This biographical historical novel focuses on Jacoba dei Settesoli - the woman who came to be known as Jacoba of the Seven Suns. A wealthy, beautiful Italian aristocrat, Jacoba lived in the tumultuous Middle Ages. In her early teens she moves from her family's palace to Rome's Septizonium when she marries into city's most powerful family - the Frangipani. Her husband, Gratien, who is nearly twice her age dies prematurely leaving the young widow in charge of his palaces and knights as well as raising their children. Jacoba also maintains a lifelong relationship with St. Francis - the reformed playboy who avoided women and considered them "honeyed poison." Why then was Jacoba the only woman he called to his deathbed? More puzzling, why do her remains share his crypt in Assisi? This is the love story that was never told. It is also a chronicle of conflict - internal battles as well as physical clashes. Steeped in medieval history, this novel explores how an extraordinarily close relationship may have developed between the powerful aristocrat and the future saint. This book transports you to a Rome and Assisi unlike the places we know today. It also provides in-depth insight into the often violent and always fascinating medieval period in Europe.
translations by Christopher Cannon, who also provides a new critical introduction and invaluable notes.
- The official novel based on Season 1 of the immensely popular TV series, which has been seen in every country in the world, with over 85 million views
- The latest fiction from Jerry Jenkins, perhaps the bestselling Christian novelist of recent times
- Jacketed hardcover with spot gloss
The novel follows Robin and Margaret, a young couple in love who forgo their affection when Margaret realizes Robin is called to the priesthood. Both play a critical role in caring physically and spiritually for their fellow Catholics during this time of terror.
Discover their heroism, love, and sacrifice, and be inspired to live it out in our own frightful times in Come Rack, Come Rope.
The beloved G.K. Chesterton presents a well-crafted and joyous work of political fantasy about a small group of rebels who rail against the government's attempt to impose prohibition in England.
Humphrey Pump, a pub owner, accompanied by Captain Patrick Dalroy, a flamboyant giant with a tendency to burst into song, take to the road in a donkey cart with a cask of good rum, a large block of cheese, and the signpost from his pub, The Flying Inn. The two men bring good cheer to an increasingly restless populace as they attempt to evade the law. In a journey that becomes a rollicking madcap adventure, the two travel round England, encountering revolution, romance, and a cast of memorable characters.
Despite her royal heritage, Alice is the third generation of women in her family to be enslaved - and the last, if she has any say in it. The only thing standing between her and freedom is a certain Confederate soldier, First Lieutenant Marshall Kent. Follow Alice and Marshall's story as suspicion turns to trust and a sense of admiration turns to something more as they navigate life during the last year of the Civil War.
Here is a skillful weaving of the story of St. Ignatius Loyola's conversion and pilgrimage with the colorful and dangerous history of Spain and Italy in the early sixteenth century. The life of the very human, very great Basque nobleman who founded the Jesuit Order, makes for one of de Wohl's finest novels.
Seriously wounded at the siege of Pamplona in 1521, Don Inigo de Loyola learned that to be a Knight of God was an infinitely greater honor (and infinitely more dangerous) than to be a Knight in the forces of the Emperor. Uli von der Flue, humorous, intelligent and courageous Swiss mercenary, was responsible for the canon shot which incapacitated the worldly and ambitious young nobleman, and Uli became deeply involved in Loyola's life. With Juanita, disguised as the boy Juan, Uli followed Loyola on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to protect him, but it was the saint who protected Uli and Juan. Through Uli's eyes we see the surge and violence of the turbulent period in Jerusalem, Spain and Rome.
Louis de Wohl has again created an exciting and spiritually inspiring novel for all readers of historical fiction.
The Timeless Novel About a Bus Ride from Hell to Heaven
In The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis again employs his formidable talent for fable and allegory. The writer finds himself in Hell boarding a bus bound for Heaven. The amazing opportunity is that anyone who wants to stay in Heaven, can. This is a starting point for an extraordinary meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment. Lewis's revolutionary idea is the discovery that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. Using his extraordinary descriptive powers, Lewis's The Great Divorce will change the way we think about good and evil.
The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.
"A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts."--The New York Times Book Review
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language--Tolkien's prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels.
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
Millions of readers around the world have followed the story of the gentle woodcarver and carpenter who was first introduced in 1983 in Joseph Girzone's beloved parable, Joshua. In JOSHUA'S FAMILY, Girzone travels back in time, painting a captivating portrait of the mother and father who nurtured Joshua and of the friends and neighbors who viewed the unusually precocious child with an uneasy balance of wonder and skepticism. Joshua's extraordinary nature and mysterious gifts come to light even as he participates in the ordinary routines of small-town life: his gentleness and loving spirit imbue his interactions with contemporaries and adults alike. As he grows from child to adolescent, Joshua gradually awakens to the knowledge that he has been placed on earth for a special reason. Leaving the comforts of family and a familiar world, he moves to the outskirts of a distant town, where he will begin to teach others how the powers of love, tolerance, and understanding can heal the divisions in the human family and bring everlasting peace to the world. This is the book so many have been waiting for, and its powerful message is a much-needed antidote to the difficulties in today's world.
"[Sigrid Undset] should be the next Elena Ferrante." --Slate
The turbulent historical masterpiece of Norway's literary master
As a young girl, Kristin is deeply devoted to her father, a kind and courageous man. But when as a student in a convent school she meets the charming and impetuous Erlend Nikulaussøn, she defies her parents in pursuit of her own desires. Her saga continues through her marriage to Erlend, their tumultuous life together raising seven sons as Erlend seeks to strengthen his political influence, and finally their estrangement as the world around them tumbles into uncertainty.
With its captivating heroine and emotional potency, Kristin Lavransdatter is the masterwork of Norway's most beloved author--one of the twentieth century's most prodigious and engaged literary minds--and, in Nunnally's exquisite translation, a story that continues to enthrall. This Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition includes an introduction by Brad Leithauser and features French flaps and deckle-edged paper. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Don Juan of Austria, one of history s most triumphant and inspiring heroes, is reborn in this opulent novel by Louis de Wohl.
Because of the circumstances of his birth, this last son of Emperor Charles the Fifth spent his childhood in a Spanish peasant s hut. Acknowledged by King Philip as his half-brother, the attractive youth quickly became a central figure in a Court where intrigues and romances abounded. Don Juan s intelligence, kindness and devout attachment to the Church enabled him to live unscathed in an environment of luxury, violence and treachery.
De Wohl paints in brilliant color the vivid scenes and characters at the Court of King Philip, Juan s campaign against rebel Moriscos in Andalusia, and the amazing climactic victory at Lepanto where he saved the Christian world from Islamic dominance. Here is a novel of high adventure which brings to life the turbulence of the sixteenth century with its conflicts of wickedness and piety, its sins of pride and conquest, its seething heresies and its great faith.
Continuing his popular series of novels about saints of the Church, de Wohl devotes his considerable talents to an interpretation of one of the most unusual women of all time, Saint Catherine of Siena. The daughter of a prosperous dyer in fourteenth- century Siena, Catherine never forgot the mystical experience of her extreme youth; at that time she devoted herself to Christ. It was, however, a shock to her family when, refusing marriage, she insisted on giving her life totally to God.
Her career was extraordinary. In that confused and dangerous era of history, the Pope was living at Avignon: Catherine persuaded him to return to Rome. The City-States of Italy were at war with each other: Catherine subdued them. There was pestilence: Catherine served and saved. She performed miracles, she received the stigmata, she drew about her a crowd of devoted men and women.
A saint who would not let the Lord God alone, she really did lay siege to heaven-and changed the face of her world. This novel, which is also a vivid biography, brings Catherine of Siena to life in a remarkable way. She lives on every page.
Leah
Unwanted, unloved, unappreciated, unknown, with few talents and no beauty that a possible mate would desire.
Yet she overcame her inadequacies and hardships to emerge as one of the premier women of the Old Testament.
Sad, confused Leah. Seeking but not receiving love and acceptance from those who should have loved her the most. And yet she emerges as blessed, happy, and fulfilled.
Leah's story is one that resonates through the centuries to guide and encourage women (and men) as they face the challenge all people must face each day though often not being appreciated by those around them.
Leah. An overcomer. Leah. A victor.
Leah. A true love story.
The narrative begins when the Tribune Constantius, a Roman officer stationed in Britain, meets and wins Helena, only daughter of the mystical and oracular King Coel of Britain. Through the course of their early lives together, and during their ten-year separation when Constantius returns to Britian as a conquering Caesar and Helena has become a rejected wife, devoted mother, and militant Christian, there is a sure and convincing portrayal of character growth and personal conflict. Helena's fierce determination to raise Constantine as a warrior son and her gradual discovery and dramatic acceptance of Christianity prepare her for the final miracle of her life discovery of the True Cross, the Living Wood on Calvary.
The Living Wood is a chapter from the turbulent half-forgotten pages of early Christian history and legend in which the religious conflicts and problems are handled with moving simplicity. It is also an action-packed novel of those times--with a lesson for us today--that captures with equal skill and tumult and the shouting of the battlefield and the devious plots and counter-plots of the court.
An unconventional novel of prairie life, "My Á ntonia" tells the story of a remarkable woman whose strength and passion epitomize the pioneer spirit. ´ Antonia Shimerda returns to Black Hawk, Nebraska, to made a fresh start after eloping with a railway conductor following the tragic death of her father. Accustomed to living in a sod house and toiling alongside the men in the fields, she is unprepared for the lecherous reaction her lush sensuality provokes when she moves to the city. Despite betrayal and crushing opposition, Antonia steadfastly pursues her quest for happiness -- a moving struggle that mirrors the quiet drama of the American landscape.
"No romantic novel ever written in America, by man or woman, is one half so beautiful as "My Á ntonia."" --H.L. Mencken
The third volume in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic epic fantasy, The Lord of the Rings. This edition of The Return Of The King includes the complete appendices and index for The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
As the shadow of Mordor grows across the land, the Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, has joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard and takes part in the desperate battle of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escape into Fangorn Forest and there encounter the Ents.
Gandalf has miraculously returned and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Sam has left his master for dead after a battle with the giant spider, Shelob; but Frodo is still alive--now in the foul hands of the Orcs.
Meanwhile, the armies of the Dark Lord are massing as the One Ring draws ever nearer to the Cracks of Doom.
"A triumphant close ... a grand piece of work, grand in both conception and execution. An astonishing imaginative tour de force."--Daily Telegraph
A Masterpiece of Satire on Hell's Latest Novelties and Heaven's Unanswerable Answer
C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters has entertained and enlightened readers the world over with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the unique vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to "Our Father Below." At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, C.S. Lewis gives us the correspondence of the wordly-wise devil to his nephew Wormwood, a novice demon in charge of securing the damnation of an ordinary young man. The Screwtape Letters is the most engaging account of temptation--and triumph over it--ever written.
The Screwtape Texts make The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis accessible to a whole new generation of readers. In this book and study, Lewis' classic work has been translated from a collection of letters sent from a senior demon to his student into a collection of text message exchanges between the two characters.
Wormwood, the tempter in training, makes comments and asks Screwtape questions, which sometimes get him into trouble. His questions bring additional clarity to the reader, who is not meant to see the strategies and tactics used by the devil against them.
This translation expands the scope of weapons used against the "human vermin" to include things like smartphones and other distractions.
The Screwtape Texts also includes reflection questions that can be used for individual or group studies. Each chapter includes references to Scripture and counterattack strategies.
2020 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards, Gold: YA Fiction - Horror/Mystery/Suspense
2021 International Book Awards, 1st Place: Religious Fiction
2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards, Bronze Medal: Religious Fiction
2021 Catholic Media Association Book Awards, 3rd Place: Escapism
2021 ACP Excellence in Publishing Awards, 3rd Place: Young Readers
The #1 New York Times Bestseller
The Silmarillion is the core of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginative writing, a work whose origins stretch back to a time long before The Hobbit. This mythopoetic masterpiece is a must-read for fans of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video.
The story of the creation of the world and of the First Age, this is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The three Silmarils were jewels created by Fëanor, most gifted of the Elves. Within them was imprisoned the Light of the Two Trees of Valinor before the Trees themselves were destroyed by Morgoth, the first Dark Lord. Thereafter, the unsullied Light of Valinor lived on only in the Silmarils, but they were seized by Morgoth and set in his crown, which was guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth.
The Silmarillion is the history of the rebellion of Fëanor and his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all their heroism, against the great Enemy.
"Majestic! ... Readers of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings will find in The Silmarillion a cosmology to call their own, medieval romances, fierce fairy tales, and fiercer wars that ring with heraldic fury... It overwhelms the reader."--Time
Among his many successful historical novels, Louis de Wohl considered The Spear the magnum opus of his literary career.
This panoramic novel of the last days of Christ ranges from the palaces of imperial Rome to the strife-torn hills of Judea-where the conflict of love and betrayal, revenge and redemption, reaches a mighty climax in the drama of the Crucifixion. For this is the full story of the world's most dramatic execution, as it affected one of its least-known participants-the man who hurled his spear into Christ on the Cross.
Among his many successful historical novels, Louis de Wohl considered The Spear the magnum opus of his literary career.
Here is the whole Francis, the poet, the ascetic, the stigmatist, the servant of the poor and the lepers, the miracle worker. But above all, here is the spirit of St. Francis "told as lyrically and simply as the hymns and words of Francis himself in a book that communicates the joy of St. Francis."
--Dave Milbrandt, author, Chasing Deception In his latest historical epic, worldwide bestselling author Davis Bunn takes readers on a journey through an ancient landscape. Travel with Empress Helena from Caesarea to Judea. Abandoned by her husband, in danger because of her faith, but with an implacable will to do what God calls her to, she takes a perilous pilgrimage. Along the way she meets those who would help her (the wizened and wise bishop Macarius; the rough-edged but kind-hearted sergeant Cratus; the young soldier Anthony, a man who has lost everything, including his faith) and those who would harm her (the menacing and murderous Roman assassin Severus). Miracles seem to follow this humble but determined woman as she wins many over to the faith, and changes lives forever--including her own. This unforgettable story of the discovery of the True Cross will thrill readers with its adventure, and with its vivid portrait of one of Christian history's most important women. "[Bunn] does something few Christian fiction writers do...his stories open readers to a bigger multicultural and multireligious world...he always seems to surprise and lead into places readers don't expect." --Publishers Weekly The audio edition of this book can be downloaded via Audible.
A single woman evicted from her family home. A terrifying specter that only she sees. A dark connection between his past and hers...
After her father's tragic death and her mother's recent passing, loss leaves an emptiness Jeannie Lyons can't fill. Now she must leave her family home, the one place where her parents' memory still lives.
An old house on the edge of town becomes Jeannie's new home, one too big for her and her three-legged cat, but she soon gets the impression she's not alone. Her brother blames her overactive imagination. Her sister-in-law suggests counseling. Her would-be boyfriend is the only one who believes her, but can she trust him? With nowhere to turn, Jeannie must face her inner demons and confront this soul from beyond the grave.
Set in modern times, this supernatural thriller is loosely based on the apparitions to Eugenie von der Leyen (1867-1929).
The Lord of the Rings saga continues in The Two Towers, the second volume in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic adventure.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin--alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.
"Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century. The book presents us with the richest profusion of new lands and creatures, from the beauty of Lothlórien to the horror of Mordor."--Sunday Telegraph
"Dear Mr. Chupp"-with those three words, a pen-pal relationship is ignited and two lives are changed forever.
Jalon Chupp has a past he isn't proud to claim. He's worked hard to overcome his youthful mistakes, and he has recommitted himself to his Amish faith. When he receives a sweet note included in a piece of misdirected mail, he can't help but write back. Soon, the letters he receives from Phoebe are the highlights of his days, and with a hopeful heart, he suggests they meet in person.
Phoebe, too, looks forward to every single one of Jalon's letters. Living with her overbearing aunt, Phoebe doesn't have too much to look forward to. Then Jalon suggests they meet, and she panics--although she has shared some of the deepest longings of her heart with him, she hasn't been entirely truthful about her past. But when Jalon shows up at her aunt's doorstep, everything is revealed. And she can only pray he'll forgive her for holding back the truth.
In order to reach beyond the errors of their pasts, both Phoebe and Jalon must put their faith in something--or Someone--bigger than either of them could pen.