Book Recommendations from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur

The seventh Hallmark of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur includes the importance of lifelong education. We’ve gathered recent book recommendations from our Sisters for engaging and impactful reads.

Tattoos of the Heart – Gregory Boyle

Recommended by Sister Bernie Garcia

The memoir relays Boyle’s experiences serving as the leader of the Dolores Mission Church in the gang capital of the world, Los Angeles. Boyle, a Jesuit, performed his earliest missionary work in an impoverished Bolivian village. There, Boyle gained two lifelong attributes: an unyielding desire to help the poor and the ability to speak Spanish, both of which would define his later ministry efforts.

A Dream Called Home – Reyna Grande

Recommended by Sister Nancy O’Shea

A Dream Called Home is the sequel to the bestselling 2012 memoir, The Distance Between Us, which addresses Reyna’s experiences crossing the US-Mexico border as a child. The title alludes to the American Dream while also gesturing to varied concepts of home.

Waiting to Be Arrested at Night – Tahir Hamut Izgil

Recommended by Sister Denise Curry

Waiting to Be Arrested at Night is the story of the political, social, and cultural destruction of Tahir Hamut Izgil’s homeland. Among leading Uyghur intellectuals and writers, he is the only one known to have escaped China since the mass internments began. His book is a call for the world to awaken to the unfolding catastrophe, and a tribute to his friends and fellow Uyghurs whose voices have been silenced.

The Little Liar – Mitch Albom

Recommended by Sister Michelle Henault

The Little Liar is a powerful novel of hope and forgiveness that moves from a coastal Greek city during WWII to America in the golden age of Hollywood, as the intertwined lives of three young survivors are forever changed by the perils of deception and the grace of redemption. Narrated by the voice of Truth itself, The Little Liar is a timeless story about the power of love to ultimately redeem us, no matter how deeply we blame ourselves for our mistakes.

Nature’s Best Hope – Doug Tallamy

Recommended by Sister Mary Alice McCabe

Nature’s Best Hope shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats. Even more important, it’s practical, effective, and easy—you will walk away with specific suggestions you can incorporate into your own yard.

Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World – Katharine Hayhoe

Recommended by Sister Mary Alice McCabe

A Canadian climate scientist living in Texas, Katharine Hayhoe negotiates distrust of data, indifference to imminent threats, and resistance to proposed solutions with ease. Over the past fifteen years Hayhoe has found that the most important thing we can do to address climate change is talk about it—and she wants to teach you how.

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