Orthodox book wish lists

[James Haddad]

What books are important and helpful for every or most orthodox to read and or buy? As in lets make a list of specific books that we have and recommend or are hoping to have because they're that good. And a little description of why.

And to start it, I am going to say, "The Way of the Pilgrim". I actually managed to hold out to just a few weeks ago to read this book. And, wow, do I regret waiting that long. It was as good as everyone says it is, and was the most encouraging a enlightening and life altering book on the life of prayer that I have encountered. And, as a plus, it is translated into every language, I got to read it in Armenian.

[Mourad Mankarios]

Here is some of the reading that has had a profound influence on myself:

The Ascetic Homilies of St Isaac the Syrian Part 1 and 2
The Letters of John of Dalyatha
The Discourses of John of Dalyatha
Evagrius of Pontus: The Greek Ascetic Corpus
The Conferences of John Cassian
The Institutes of John Cassian
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
New Seeds of Contemplation
The Inner Kingdom

[Theodoros]

I have to agree with The Way of the Pilgrim - probably my favorite book of all. Just finished reading it...again! The book I'm presently reading is The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology by Igumen Chariton. Fantastic insight on prayer. Also, an oldy but a goody is The Way of the Ascetics by Tito Colliander.

In Christ - Theodoros

[Shawn Lazar]

Let me add my vote for 'Way of a Pilgrim'. I would also highly recommend these other books (which I tend to read over and over again):

1) The Roots of Christian Mysticism by Oliver Clement
2) My Life in Christ by St. John of Kronstadt
3) Fr. Seraphim Rose, Life and Works by Damascene
4) Father Arseny 1893-1973 trans. by Bouteneff
5) Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Michael Pomazansky
6) Little Russian Philokalia Vol. 1: St. Seraphim
7) On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius
8) On the Holy Spirit by St. Basil
9) Mystery of Faith by Bp. Hilarion Alfeyev

[Andreas Moran]

'Saint Silouan the Athonite' by Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
'Path to Salvation' and 'Unseen Warfare' by St Theophan the Recluse
'St Seraphim of Sarov a spiritual biography' by Archimandrite Lazarus Moore
'Sayings of the Desert Fathers' by Benedicta Ward
'Life of St Cuthbert' by St Bede
'The Truth of our Faith' by Elder Cleopa of Romania
'Father Arseny' trans. Vera Bouteneff

As to 'Father Arseny', I was at the monastery here about six years ago and the book was being read during the meal. The reader came to the chapter named, 'Where Two or Three are Gathered in My Name'. Though by now the meal had almost finished, the Superior, Archimandrite Kyrill, let the reading continue to the end of this chapter. There was a kind of silence I cannot recall on any other occasion save that many were quietly weeping.

[Andreas Moran]

It has occurred to me that a bibliography for Orthodox Christians might be useful, unless there is one already. Would a themed bibliography be useful?

[Anthony Stokes]

I will also put the "Way of a Pilgrim" at the top of the list. It is still the only book I have read more than once. I am sort in the middle of reading it in a different translation now as well. I also second the votes for Fr. Arseny, while both volumes are good, the first is very worth while.

If you are the type, as I am, to have many non-Orthodox friends that you talk to about the faith a lot, I would suggest reading these two books as well:

Becoming Orthodox by Fr. Peter Gillquist &
Thirsting for God in a Land of Shallow Wells by Matthew Gallatin

These books are a great help when you are trying to understand where non-Orthodox are coming from, and how to try and explain certain issues that may arise in conversations.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Effie Ganatsios]

Elder Paisios' list for beginners :

1. The lives of the Saints
2. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
3. Unseen Warfare
4. Saint Ephraim
5. Lausiac History
6. Abba Isaac (a little advanced but helpful for beginners).


Mother Gabriela's list :

The Holy gospel - one chapter in the morning and one at night
2. The Prophets - The Psalter
3. The Epistle of St. James (every night)
4. The Way of a Pilgrim
5. The Cloud of Unknowing
6. The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus
7. St. Isaac the Syrian
8. St. Maximus the Confessor
9. St. Nilus
10. St. Symeon the New Theologian
11. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis

[Effie Ganatsios]

In addition to the above a personal favourite of mine is My life in Christ by St. John Konstadt.


I searched for something by St. Maximus the Confessor and St. Nilus from Mother Gavriela's list but wasn't able to find anything on the Internet.

[Anthony Stokes]

In addition to the above a personal favourite of mine is My life in Christ by St. John Konstadt.

I searched for something by St. Maximus the Confessor and St. Nilus from Mother Gavriela's list but wasn't able to find anything on the Internet.

Effie,
There are selections from St. Maximus' Chapters on Knowledge right here on Monachos - http://www.monachos.net/library/Maximos_the_Confessor%2C_On_Knowledge

A great work of his, and one of the most accessible, is his 400 Chapters on Love found in the Philokalia. We have some excerpts on our church website here at the bottom of the page - http://www.stmaximus.org/who_is_st_maximus.html We are the only St. Maximus parish in the U.S.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Michael Stickles]

The ones that have been most helpful to me so far:

1. How to live a Holy Life by Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov) of St. Petersburg
2. Unseen Warfare by Theophan the Recluse, Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain and Lorenzo Scupoli
3. Way of the Ascetics by Tito Colliander
4. The homilies of St. John Chrysostom (http://www.grtbooks.com/chrysostom.asp?idx=0&yr=347&aa=CH&at=AA&opt=1) (I use them like a commentary on Scripture)
5. On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius

My wife has also found a great deal of inspiration and insight from various writings in the Philokalia, and from the lives of the Optina elders. My 8- and 11-year-olds have been reading the Optina elders books as well and getting a lot out of them.

In Christ,
Mike

[Anthony Stokes]

My wife has also found a great deal of inspiration and insight from various writings in the Philokalia, and from the lives of the Optina elders. My 8- and 11-year-olds have been reading the Optina elders books as well and getting a lot out of them.

In Christ,
Mike

My wife and I enjoy the Optina Elder books as well. I have read three of them from St. Herman's Press, and my wife has read one of the ones from Holy Transfiguration Monastery, I think it was Elder Jospeh.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Effie Ganatsios]

Effie,
There are selections from St. Maximus' Chapters on Knowledge right here on Monachos - http://www.monachos.net/library/Maximos_the_Confessor%2C_On_Knowledge

A great work of his, and one of the most accessible, is his 400 Chapters on Love found in the Philokalia. We have some excerpts on our church website here at the bottom of the page - http://www.stmaximus.org/who_is_st_maximus.html We are the only St. Maximus parish in the U.S.

Subdeacon Anthony

Thank you so much Subdeacon Anthony.

I also looked at the photos on the site. What a beautiful church! Was the building a house before it became a church, or was it built this way?

I really should post a couple of pictures of my church, Aghios Dimitrios and also Aghios Nicolaos, our oldest and most beautiful church. As a building Aghios Dimitrios is older - about 500-600 years but it was a monastery before becoming a church.

Effie

[James Haddad]

Here is another book previously unmentioned, "Jesus: A dialogue with the Savior" written by a monk of the Eastern Church. This book makes a good daily devotional reader, and really reads like your having a conversation with Christ.

And I figured I should add a vote to The Lausiac History of Palladios. If you don't know, author was probably ordained as deacon by ST. John Chrysostom and also wrote a book called "Dialogue on the Life of. St. John". His history book is the result of his pilgrimage to Egypt where he lived with the hermits of the desert and records what he heard and saw. This book really had a huge impact on me the first time I read it. Some of the greats in the book are St. Macarios(3 of them), St. Anthony the great, St. Pachomius, Evagrius Ponticus, and many more.

[Eugenia P.]

Besides all of the beautiful books listed, I would add On Prayer and His Life is Mine, bothby Archimandrite Sophrony.

[Anthony Stokes]

Thank you so much Subdeacon Anthony.

I also looked at the photos on the site. What a beautiful church! Was the building a house before it became a church, or was it built this way?

I really should post a couple of pictures of my church, Aghios Dimitrios and also Aghios Nicolaos, our oldest and most beautiful church. As a building Aghios Dimitrios is older - about 500-600 years but it was a monastery before becoming a church.

Effie

Thank you. Yes, it was a house before we bought it, and we actually still use the upstairs as a rectory. We are in the process of planning a church. There are pictures of the design on the website. The house it self is 98 years old.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Anthony Stokes]

Here is another book previously unmentioned, "Jesus: A dialogue with the Savior" written by a monk of the Eastern Church. This book makes a good daily devotional reader, and really reads like your having a conversation with Christ.


To add to the list of daily devotional type books, I would add "Living without Hypocrisy," which is full of quotes from the Optina Elders and "Diary of a Russian Priest" by Fr. Alexander Elchaninov.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Ken McRae]

1) St. Tikhon's of Zadonsk's Complete Writings in Five Volume (the English Translation)

2) The Complete Writings of St. Theophan the Recluse, (the English Translation)

[Shawn Lazar]

Subdeacon Anthony,

I attended your church about two years ago, when I was living in McKinney. It was a midnight service. I wasn't Orthodox at the time, and can't quite remember what the celebration was. I can only assume it was for Pascha... walking around the house with candles in the middle of the night. And then knocking on the front door. It was pretty bewildering. Anyways, I'll have to send my independent Bible Church family members your way.

Oh, and may I add:
1) Prayer Book, Holy Trinity Jordanville
2) Vita Patrum by St. Gregory of Tours, trans. Seraphim Rose.

[Mary James]

Personally, two helpful books for me were:
1) The Path to Salvation- By: St. Theophan the Recluse
2) Unseen Warefare of Lorenzo Scupoli & revised by St. Theophan the Recluse.

[Anthony Stokes]

Subdeacon Anthony,
I attended your church about two years ago, when I was living in McKinney. It was a midnight service. I wasn't Orthodox at the time, and can't quite remember what the celebration was. I can only assume it was for Pascha... walking around the house with candles in the middle of the night. And then knocking on the front door. It was pretty bewildering. Anyways, I'll have to send my independent Bible Church family members your way.


Yes, that would have been Pascha. I think we only did the door knocking exchange that one year. I think it's a Carpatho-Russian tradition. Send your family on, we'll be glad to talk to them :)

Subdeacon Anthony

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Yes, that would have been Pascha. I think we only did the door knocking exchange that one year. I think it's a Carpatho-Russian tradition. Send your family on, we'll be glad to talk to them :)

Subdeacon Anthony

This is also done in the Russian tradition.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Paul Cowan]

This is also done in the Russian tradition.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

Antiochian as well.

Paul

[Anthony Stokes]

Originally Posted by Fr Raphael Vereshack http://www.monachos.net/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showthread.php?p=64509#post64509)
This is also done in the Russian tradition.

In Christ- Fr Raphael
Antiochian as well.

Paul


Good to know. Is it done with the whole question/response sequence from Psalm 23 (24)?

That question is for anyone. Also, if anyone knows the history of the practice, I would be interested.

Thanks,
Subdeacon Anthony

[Michael 'Anthony' Cornett]

Once I'm home, I will be able to go through my small, but Lord willing, growing library of spiritual gems. For now, I found an email I sent to an at-the-time, fellow catechumen, after a visit to St. Anthony's Monastery in AZ. I met with Geronda Paisios, and knowing that I was a catechumen, he offered the following book recommendations:

• Way of the Pilgrim
http://www.google.com/products?q=0060630175&hl=en&aq=f

• St. Seraphim of Sarov
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=st+seraphim+of+sarov&cid=16469177550492208490&sa=title#p

• St. Silouan
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=St.+Silouan&hl=en&cid=14766639280790691747&sa=button#p

Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos Books:

• Mind of the Orthodox Church
http://www.google.com/products?q=metropolitan+vlachos+mind+of+the+orthod ox+church&hl=en&aq=f

• Life After Death
http://www.google.com/products?q=9607070348&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wf

• Feasts of the Lord
http://www.google.com/products?q=metropolitan%20vlachos%20feasts%20of%20 the%20lord&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wf

Elder Paisios also gave us these 2 books:

• Monastic Wisdom - The Letters of Elder Joseph the Hesychast
http://www.google.com/products?q=0966700015+&hl=en&aq=f

• Councels from the Holy Mountain: Selected from the Letters and Homilies of Elder Ephraim
http://www.google.com/products?q=0966700023&hl=en&aq=f

The Met. Hierotheos Vlachos recommendations weren't limited to those books only, but basically a 'anything by...', however I distinctly remember 'Life After Death' being mentioned foremost. I have yet to purchase "Feasts of the Lord", but hope to during my next trip to Life Giving Spring. I am currently reading "Life After Death", and just finished "Saint Gregory Palamas As a Hagiorite". I have read all the others, except for the one on St. Seraphim of Sarov. I tried starting it previously, but the style of writing, and perhaps the vocabulary, wasn't meshing with my understanding, so I gave it a rest until a later date. I haven't tried picking it up again, so perhaps I shall after this one.

My wife and I read from Monastic Wisdom on a regular basis, as well as a book on the Life of the Theotokos that she has on loan from her spiritual mother, Gerontissa Markella from Life Giving Spring. I should mention, I also haven't read Geronda Ephraim's book, but hope to after finishing Monastic Wisdom.

Here are a couple that I'm looking to get in the near future:

• Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies
http://www.amazon.com/Saint-Gregory-Palamas-Homilies/dp/0977498344

• St Gregory of Nyssa, On The Soul and the Resurrection
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&q=On+the+Soul+and+the+Resurrection&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&cid=11949450479556793151&ei=wmuRTJa5G6f8jAT3x61e&sa=title&ved=0CBgQ8wIwAzgA#p

[Michael 'Anthony' Cornett]

I just compiled a larger list of books I'd like to get...A lot of those being Biblical commentary, and the Lives of the Saints (via Synaxarion):

• St. Symeon the New Theologian: the discourses
ISBN: 0809122308

• St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite: Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession
ISBN: 9608677831

• St. Ephraim the Syrian: A Spiritual Psalter
ISBN: 0912927402

• Saint Chrysostom's Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Romans: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Part 11
ISBN: 0766184005

• Saint Chrysostom's Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Part 12
ISBN: 0766184013

• Saint Chrysostom's Homilies on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus and Philemon: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Part 13
ISBN: 0766184021

• The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church (Vol 2)
ISBN: 9608614317

• The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church (Vol 3)
ISBN: 960861435X

• The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church (Vol 4)
ISBN: 9608748720

• The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church (Vol 5)
ISBN: 9605182475

• The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church (Vol 6)
ISBN: 9789605183059

• The Unabbreviated Horologion, or Book of the Hours
ISBN:

• Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies
ISBN: 0977498344

[Moses Anthony]

1. The Communion of Love by Matthew the Poor
2. The Inner Kingdom by Matthew the Poor
3. St.Silouan by Archmandrite Sophrony
4. Any of the works by Archmandrite Zacharias
5. Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church by Vladimir Lossky
6. Fr.George Florosky (?) Several of his works I've read, but cannot think of any books he has written
7. The Orthodox Church In The Byzantine Empire by J.M. Hussey
8. The Development of Doctrine (5 vol.) by Jaroslav Pelikan

[Kusanagi]

Faith of the Saints by St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Ecclesiasticus Vol 1+2 by Fr George Dion Dragas

True of our Faith Vol 1+ 2 by Elder Cleopa

I find these books very useful for those starting to learn about the faith.

[David James]

Personally, two helpful books for me were:
1) The Path to Salvation- By: St. Theophan the Recluse
2) Unseen Warefare of Lorenzo Scupoli & revised by St. Theophan the Recluse.

I love these two books, as well, and re-read them periodically. Likewise, with The Way of the Pilgrim. These books never pall; but my favorite book, that I read every day, is the Psalter. I am ashamed to admit that I don't always read the Gospels every day. Other books that affected me powerfully when I read them include:

Timothy Ware (now Bishop Kallistos), The Orthodox Church. This was the first book on Orthodoxy that I ever read, over 40 years ago, and I immediately sought out an Orthodox Church. I think that is a good effect.

Searching for Icons in Russia by Vladimir Soloukhin. This is another book that made an unforgettable impression on me. One of my all-time favorite books.

Russia's Catacomb Saints, by I. M. Andreyev. The Northern Thebaid. The Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History. St. Gregory of Tour's History of the Franks. St. John Moschus' The Spiritual Meadow. The Passion of SS. Perpetua and Felicity, The Life of St. Mary of Egypt, etc. Lyubov Millar's Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia: New Martyr of the Communist Yoke. I can't get enough of the lives of the saints, I guess.

Last, but not least, Blessed Theophylact's commentaries on the Gospels, published by Chrysostom Press in House Springs, Missouri.

Looking over what I have written, I think the thing that unites all these books is that, while they are all accessible to beginners, they still resonate - perhaps even more powerfully - even after one has already been some time on the journey...

David James

[Evan]

I highly recommend the Bible. All of it. ;-)

In Christ,
Evan

[Paul Cowan]

Yes, but which Bible?

Bible Gateway lists 21 different versions. And the OSB is not listed.

[Evan]

I tend to go for painstakingly literal translations. My vote would be for the NETS and the Orthodox New Testament (which also has copious citations to the Fathers to guide reading).

When it comes to majestic prose, however, I don't think you can do better than the Douay-Rheims. Of course, it's a translation of St. Jerome's Latin, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Wouldn't recommend the footnotes, however.