Best Reads for Social Distancing—Fiction!
Looking for meaning and answers? We can't guarantee that for you, but we can guarantee great storytelling with a purpose. Choose a book and we will ship it to you promptly and safely, or purchase an ebook and begin right away. We might not be able to travel yet, but you can choose your destination for a story that will take you far from the news and open up new understandings of life, relationships, and faith.
From the rolling hills of Ireland . . .
For generations, Aideen Callaghan’s ancestors were miraculously cured of cancer through the power of a holy relic—the very relic that inspired the Celtic cross—until it vanished from history in 1866 and became Irish lore. Now it is needed urgently, as Aideen’s grandson faces a terminal illness. Pediatric oncologist Len Mattano’s debut novel is “a story of faith under challenge, new-found love, faith redeemed, and ultimately the resiliency and healing power of the human soul.” —Ray Hutchinson, MS, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Michigan
To the cell of 14th-century mystic Julian of Norwich . . .
In her secret journal (because women are forbidden to write in English) the great English mystic chronicles her inner life, including her relationship with the “courteous Lord,” who when she was young was a constant presence in her life, but now in her old age feels to be more of a constant absence. Ron Hansen, author of Mariette in Ecstasy, calls Lady at the Window “an amazing feat of the imagination that is as inspiring and insightful as Julian's own journal of 'shewings.’”
To the captivating and dangerous atmosphere of England during World War II. . .
It is 1940, and American Tom McCord, a 23-year-old graduate student, is in England researching the historical evidence for the legendary King Arthur. Aided by the Inklings — that illustrious circle of scholars and writers made famous by its two most prolific members, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien — Tom and his fellow student Laura begin to suspect that the fabled Spear of Destiny, the lance that pierced the side of Christ on the Cross, is hidden somewhere in England. “Lewis and Tolkien both crackle to life with wit and intelligence. . . I felt as if I had walked into Oxford and then settled into the pub to spy on the Inklings in action — how grand!” —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis
To the quiet beauty of rural Pennsylvania . . .
Love, loss, and the memory of an otherworldly encounter haunt the days and nights of a Pennsylvania dairy farmer. Barely old enough to vote when he loses his parents in an accident and inherits the family farm, Jess Hazel struggles to find meaning in the life he has always loved. Unable to shake the memory of a strange light he has seen hovering on the mountain peak above his valley home, he embarks on a pilgrimage, a halting inner odyssey riddled with fits and false starts.
To the sparkling art world in Rome . . .
Rachel Piers, a brilliant young conservatrice at a Manhattan art gallery, is given the dream assignment of restoring a mysterious medieval painting in a church in Rome. She seizes the opportunity to advance her career, leaving behind a bitter divorce and painful childhood incident. As Rachel meticulously restores the damaged artwork, she uncovers layers of her soul that she would rather be kept hidden. Unveiling brings the ancient city of Rome vividly to life and reveals a courageous woman coming to terms with a tragic past.
