Angelus News | July 2, 2021 | Vol. 6 No. 13

lives by helping us
to more consciously
shape our desires.
Matthew Dicks’
“Storyworthy:
Engage, Teach, Persuade,
and Change
Your Life through
the Power of Storytelling”
(New World
Library, $15.63)
Dicks reveals the secrets
to his success in
storytelling competitions,
teaches us how
to find the great stories
in our everyday
lives, and regales us
with amazing (and
true) stories from his
own life.
Gregg A. Ten
Elshof’s “For
Shame: Rediscovering
the Virtues of a
Maligned Emotion”
(HarperCollins
Christian Publishing,
$18.99)
In a culture that
is suspicious of
shame but accepting
of shaming, Ten
Elshof’s book makes
a powerful case that
we’ve gotten things
exactly backward.
This work places
shame (and shamelessness)
in the
context of rival views
of human flourishing
and the history of philosophy, East and West.
This book also takes empirical research in psychology seriously
but not uncritically. His reinterpretation of the story of
the prodigal son as a rescuing from shame is deeply illuminative.
Clearly written, free of technical jargon, and biblically
informed, Ten Elshof’s absolutely terrific exploration of
shame deserves wide readership.
EVAN HOLGUIN
A. Ciucci, M. Fossati, G. Perego, and P. Sartor: “The Four
Gospels for Young Catholics” (Pauline Books and Media,
$29.95)
This collection of the Gospels, recommended for ages 9-11,
is an indispensable tool for raising a generation that knows
how to encounter
Christ. Rather than
paraphrasing the
Gospels — or leaving
out the more
difficult or complicated
passages
— this book offers
the complete NRSV
Catholic Edition
text accompanied
by whimsical illustrations
reminiscent
of Roald Dahl and
age-appropriate
commentary.
The result is a prayerful children’s Bible that neither
trivializes the faith nor makes it too daunting for young
Catholics to approach. “The Four Gospels for Young
Catholics” has been my go-to gift for first communicants
and is invaluable for catechists of younger children.
ALISON NASTASI
Marcellino D’Ambrosio’s
“Jesus: The
Way, the Truth, and
the Life” (Ascension
Press, $15.99)
I’ve listened with
rapt attention to stories
told by friends
about their Holy
Land pilgrimages.
My inner-history
nerd is fascinated
by the events and
culture surrounding
Jesus’ life and
ministry. So I picked
up D’Ambrosio’s
“Jesus: The Way,
the Truth, and the Life,” hoping to bring the Gospels into
sharper focus.
The New York Times best-selling author and theologian,
known on Catholic TV and radio as “Dr. Italy,” offers
historical and social context about the earthly timeline
and divinity of Jesus. D’Ambrosio sets the scene with warm
familiarity through Scripture passages, geographical details,
and rich historical notes that answer the “Why?” as you
journey through Jesus’ time.
The book is a great companion for a Bible study or an entry
point for further exploration; gift it to (receptive) secular
friends, bookish teens, or new converts.
A beautifully produced 10-week video study program that
accompanies the book, featuring D’Ambrosio with authors
Jeff Cavins and Edward Sri, brings readers even closer
to the places where Jesus walked and brought new life to
those who followed him.
16 • ANGELUS • July 2, 2021