“To him who wishes to walk in the path of virtue, nothing is more necessary than the reading of spiritual books.” – St. Athanasius

“What do you say? The reading of these good books does not concern you? But I find this duty more incumbent on you, than on those living in the security of the cloister. For you who sail on the open sea, whether you will it or not, are beset by a thousand occasions of sin. Thus the aid of spiritual books is for you a necessity. A religious cannot be wounded, because she is far from the combat. But you who are in the midst of battle, must protect yourself with the buckler of holy thoughts drawn from good books.”— St. John Chrysostom

• The Imitation of Christ – by Thomas A. Kempis
• Catechism of St Pius X
• The Story of a Soul – by St. Thérèse of Lisieux
• The Curé d’Ars – by Francis Trochu
• Our Lady of Fatima, by Wm. Thomas Walsh
• The Secret of Mary – by St. Louis de Montfort
• The Secret of the Rosary – by St. Louis de Montfort.
• True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin – by St Louis de Montfort
• The Spiritual Combat – by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli
• The Way – by St. Josemaria Escriva.
• The Sinner’s Guide – By Venerable Louis of Granada, OP
• Orthodoxy – by G.K. Chesterton
• The Screwtape Letters – by C.S. Lewis 
• Treatise on the Love of God – by St. Francis de Sales
• The Introduction to the Devout Life – by St. Francis de Sales
• The Three Ways of the Spiritual Life, Garrigou-Lagrange
• Uniformity with God’s will – by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
• The Confessions of St. Augustine – by St. Augustine
• Dark Night of the Soul- by St. John of the Cross

Wisdom from the Saints

In regard to the spiritual life: St Francis de Sales had a special vision of holiness, “devotion” based on total love for God. A new bishop wrote him: “If you want to restore the Church there is no need for new laws; there are enough. It is necessary to make the living read books where the laws are written.”

“When we pray we speak to God; but when we read, God speaks to us.” – St. Jerome 

“Never read books you aren’t sure about. . . even supposing that these bad books are very well written from a literary point of view. Let me ask you this: Would you drink something you knew was poisoned just because it was offered to you in a golden cup?”– St. John Bosco