Faith and religion are two different things; the latter is an organized attempt to systematize and support the former, but it is my contention that a strong faith will outlast religion in the long run. My father had a strong faith in God, and fed it with spiritual literature, some of it by Catholic writers. He shared that interest with me, and I have read many of the books he recommended. Some of his favorite authors (and now mine) are Francois Mauriac, Georges Bernanos, Evelyn Waugh, C.S.Lewis, Thomas Hardy, Thomas Merton, and Willa Cather. He also was a fan of Graham Greene and G.K. Chesterton, but I have not read their books as of yet. All of the books I've read by these writers have left an indelible impression on me. They made me think and reflect on many of life's situations, problems and (often-tragic) outcomes. Not all of them are directly spiritual in tone (inspirational); some of them are heart-wrenching, others witty, still others poignant and spiritually-challenging. The books are all excellent in their own right, and worth reading.
Francois Mauriac's books:
- The Viper's Tangle
- The Desert of Love
- Therese
- A Woman of Pharisees
Georges Bernanos books:
- The Diary of a Country Priest
Evelyn Waugh's books:
- Brideshead Revisited
- A Handful of Dust
C.S. Lewis' books:
- The Screwtape Letters
- Mere Christianity
- A Grief Observed
- Surprised by Joy
- The Four Loves
- The Problem of Pain
Thomas Hardy's books:
- Jude the Obscure
- Tess of the d'Urbervilles
- Far from the Madding Crowd
- The Mayor of Casterbridge
- The Return of the Native
- The Go-Between
Thomas Merton's books:
- No Man is an Island
- Thoughts in Solitude
- Wisdom of the Desert
Willa Cather's books:
- Death Comes for the Archbishop
- My Antonia
