The Ascent to Joy


Book Description

For more than a decade this book, now with ICS Publications, has been a valuable resource for those wanting to explore the works and teachings of St. John of the Cross in a convenient format. In this concise introduction to and anthology of the works of the great Carmelite mystic, Father Foley leads the reader step-by-step into the very heart of Johns spiritual way.




The Ascent of Joy


Book Description

A perfect introduction to John of the Cross’ writings, this anthology makes the Spanish saint and mystic accessible to the average reader. Contains ample introductions and annotations, opening up the complete spectrum of John’s spirituality. “In this well-crafted introduction and anthology, Marc Foley leads the reader step by step into the very heart of the spiritual way taught by John of the Cross. Nearly every serious spiritual seeker at some point experiences a need to look to the teaching of this sixteenth-century Spanish saint and mystic for guidance, especially when one faces one's personal ‘night of the soul.’ Here, the student or seeker can gain an intimate acquaintance not only with the rigor for which John is so well-known, but also with his tenderness, his passion, and his poetic heart. Foley provides substantial introductions and notes, but the core of the teaching is developed in carefully-selected excerpts from John's own writings. The special gift of Ascent to Joy is that these excerpts are presented in a systematic order, so that the text can function both as a primer of John's teaching and as a profound introduction to the contemplative way. This volume fills a much-needed niche in the array of spiritual books available today.” Mary Frohlich Catholic Theological Union Chicago, IL




Journey to Joy


Book Description

Embedded in the Bible is an underused handbook for moving step by step through real life with real joy. This is a guide to that journey. It will take you through each of the 15 steps from disappointment to rejoicing. Along the way you will discover how to follow God in family life, in church, at work, when people hurt you, when you need help, when you need a laugh, and more. The Psalms of Ascent were designed to make us happy pilgrims through the test of life without faking it and without failing it. Read this book and embark on a journey to joy.




The Ascent of Mount Carmel


Book Description

Saint John of the Cross is one of Christianity’s greatest poets and mystics. Nevertheless, his subject matter and writing style, coupled with his use of Scholastic terminology, can make his prose difficult to understand and intimidating. Readers of The Ascent of Mount Carmel: Reflections will thank Father Marc Foley for making John’s thought accessible and refreshingly contemporary. The author shares with contemporary spiritual seekers his seasoned wisdom, gleaned from years of reading and teaching John of the Cross. He deftly weaves together insights from psychology, theology, and literature to make The Ascent of Mount Carmel both understandable and relevant to daily life.




The Ascent to Truth


Book Description

The author of The Seven Storey Mountain explores the mysticism of Saint John of the Cross. The only thing that can save the world from complete moral collapse is a spiritual revolution. . . . The desire for unworldliness, detachment, and union with God is the most fundamental expression of this revolutionary spirit. In Ascent to Truth, author and Trappist Monk Thomas Merton makes an impassioned case for the importance of contemplation. Drawing on a range of thinkers—from Carl Jung to Pope Pius XII—Merton defines the nature of contemplative experience and shows how the Christian mysticism of sixteenth-century Spanish Carmelite Saint John of the Cross offers essential answers to our disquieting and troubling times. “For any who have the desire to look into meditation and contemplation . . . this is the book for which they have waited.” —New York Herald Tribune Book Review “For those who may be curious about mysticism, and for those who may be called to a life of contemplation, this is an excellent book.” —Catholic World




The World Only Spins Forward


Book Description

"Marvelous . . . A vital book about how to make political art that offers lasting solace in times of great trouble, and wisdom to audiences in the years that follow."- Washington Post NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR A STONEWALL BOOK AWARDS HONOR BOOK The oral history of Angels in America, as told by the artists who created it and the audiences forever changed by it--a moving account of the AIDS era, essential queer history, and an exuberant backstage tale. When Tony Kushner's Angels in America hit Broadway in 1993, it won the Pulitzer Prize, swept the Tonys, launched a score of major careers, and changed the way gay lives were represented in popular culture. Mike Nichols's 2003 HBO adaptation starring Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, and Mary-Louise Parker was itself a tour de force, winning Golden Globes and eleven Emmys, and introducing the play to an even wider public. This generation-defining classic continues to shock, move, and inspire viewers worldwide. Now, on the 25th anniversary of that Broadway premiere, Isaac Butler and Dan Kois offer the definitive account of Angels in America in the most fitting way possible: through oral history, the vibrant conversation and debate of actors (including Streep, Parker, Nathan Lane, and Jeffrey Wright), directors, producers, crew, and Kushner himself. Their intimate storytelling reveals the on- and offstage turmoil of the play's birth--a hard-won miracle beset by artistic roadblocks, technical disasters, and disputes both legal and creative. And historians and critics help to situate the play in the arc of American culture, from the staunch activism of the AIDS crisis through civil rights triumphs to our current era, whose politics are a dark echo of the Reagan '80s. Expanded from a popular Slate cover story and built from nearly 250 interviews, The World Only Spins Forward is both a rollicking theater saga and an uplifting testament to one of the great works of American art of the past century, from its gritty San Francisco premiere to its starry, much-anticipated Broadway revival in 2018.




The Ascent of Mount Carmel


Book Description




Ascent of the A-Word


Book Description

An attention-grabbing, thought-provoking exploration of the life of the word "asshole," by a renowned linguist and author







A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make


Book Description

Keep your hands busy and your mind playing and free of stress with A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make. From professional artist Sarah Hand, the author of Art Makers: Papier-Mache, this book features easy-to-follow step-by-step projects, creative inspiration, and prompts—all designed to be done at home using affordable, accessible materials. Best of all, the projects are small-scale, so they are portable, giftable, adorable, and fun! A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make includes varied projects done in all kinds of materials, from papier-mache and paper to crayons, paint, and paint pens. With this book, you can learn to make: Dioramas Papier-mache creatures Pop-up cards Cotton dolls And much more Throughout the book, find tips for having fun and relaxing as you create, plus creative inspiration and prompts so that you can use this book as a starting point for art projects you devise on your own. After a stressful year (or decade?), everyone needs to have fun and let loose, and what better way than with art that can be created at home and with materials you already have? The small size of the projects makes them manageable even for beginning crafters and artists, and kids will love working on the projects too (possibly with a little adult help). The art is adorable and whimsical and appeals to artists of all ages and skill levels, including beginning crafters, DIYers, crafty families, and more. Grab your paper, paints, and more and then set up at the kitchen counter to start your stress-free creative life with A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make from a professional artist and instructor.




Recent Books