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A RECOMMENDED READING LIST from Fr. Michael Shanbour

Pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church y 

In alphabetical order according to title 

y  Titles asterisked (*) are recommended for catechetical purposes.  y  Double asterisks (**) denote writings and Lives of Saints which

are particularly inspiring and instructional  

Title  Author  Publisher  Description 5. An Englishman

in the Court of theTsar 

Christine Benagh  Conciliar Press,Ben Lomond, CA  Very interesting story of the

last Russian Tzar and familyfrom the perspective of the

children¶s tutor. 6. An Unbroken

Circle: LinkingAncient African

Christianity to theAfrican American

Experience* (for

African-Americans) 

Ed., Fr. Paisius

Altschul Brotherhood of 

St. Moses theBlack, St. Louis,

MO Lectures delivered at the

annual African AmericanConference in Kansas

City. Very interesting articles,particularly on the orthodox

spirituality of the Black

American slaves. 10. Beginning to

Pray*  Anthony Bloom  Paulist Press, NY  Excellent introduction to

Prayer. 11. Beloved

Sufferer, The Lifeand MysticalRevelations of a

Russian Eldress:SchemanunMacaria 

St. Herman of 

AlaskaBrotherhood 

Biography on the

extraordinary and miraculous,crippled nun Macaria. 

20. Facing East: A

Pilgrim¶s Journeyinto the Mystery

of Orthodoxy*(esp. for women) 

Fredricka

Matthews-Greene 

Very good introductory

explanation of OrthodoxChristianity and the change of 

perspective required tounderstand it. Especially goodfor women. 

23. From Earth to

Heaven: TheApostolicAdventures of St.

Innocent of 

Alaska** 

New Valaam

Monastery,Alaska 

St. Herman

Press  Outstanding, inspirational,

easy-to-read, biography of St.Innocent of Alaska. 

27. Holy Fire, The:

The Story of theEarly Centuries of 

the Christian

Church in theNear East 

Robert Payne  St. Vladimir¶s

Seminary Press,Crestwood, NY 

Although written by a non-

Orthodox novelist and includesthe biographies of a couple

non-Saints, it truly brings the

Saints to life in biographicalstory form. 

St. Innocent of 

Alaska  New Sarov

Press, Blanco,TX 

Wonderful practical

presentation of the Christianfaith from one of the first

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29. Indication of the

Way into theKingdom of 

Heaven* Saints canonized in America. 

30. Let the Little

Children Come toMe: Stories of 

Children Martyrs 

Saint John

ChrysostomosGreek Orthodox

Monastery,Pleasant Prairie,

WI 

A collection of the lives of pre-

teen and teenaged Christianmartyrs. 

36. MereChristianity* (for

agnostics or

athieistic readers) C.S. Lewis  Macmillan

Publishing (and

others) Excellent apologetic fortraditional Christianity and its

basic doctrines. 41. Mother Gavrilia,

The Ascetic of 

Love** Eptalofos SA  The moving biography of a

contemporary woman saint

(died 1992) who ministered onseveral continents including

India. 46. Orthodox

Church, The* and** 

Bishop Kallistos

Ware Penguin Books  One of the Best introductions

to the Orthodox Church, Herhistory and faith. 

54. PaternalCounsels, ElderPhilotheos

Zervakos (Vol 1) Trans. by Fr.Nicholas Palis  St. John of 

Kronstadt Press,Liberty, TN 

Simple spiritual advice from acontemporary holy father. 

57. Raising Them

Right, A Saints

Advice on RaisingChildren* 

St. Theophan the

Recluse  Conciliar Press,

Ben Lomend, CA  Very practical advise on how

to nuture a child to love God

and the Church from infancythrough teenage years. 

59. Saints of 

Englands GoldenAge 

Vladimir Moss,

B.A., Ph.D  Eastern

Christian SupplyCo., Etna, CA 

Lives of the early Saints from

Orthodox England (A collectionis also available for the Saints

of Ireland) 

63. St. Innocent,Apostle to

America Paul D. Garrett  St. Vladimir¶s

Seminary Press,

Crestwood, NY An excellent historicalbiography which takes one

through the life of St. Innocent

and his missionary work inAlaska. 

69. Arena, The**  St. IgnatiusBrianchaninov  Printshop of St.

Job of Pchaev,Holy Trinity

Monastery,

Jordanville, NY 

For a serious (advanced)reader looking for spiritualguidance on the life of prayer

and ascetism. 71. Life of our Holy

Father Maximusthe Confessor,The 

Trans. by Father

ChristopherBirchall 

Holy

TransfigurationMonastery,Boston, MA 

Wonderful biography of this

amazing Church Father. 73. Two Paths*

(Catholic only)  Michael Whelton  Regina

Orthodox Press  The best book on Orthodoxy

vs. RomanCatholicism. Written by a

former Roman Catholic.