12 Books for Catholic Boys
If you’re tired of screen-time overload, TFP Student Action has a solution: old fashion reading. This book list is designed specifically for Catholic teenagers, and its titles are packed with stories of heroic men who will challenge you to think, grow, and rise above the spirit of the age. Good old paper books do what digital media cannot: they form the heart and mind without the shallow distractions.
1. The Life of Dominic Savio by Saint John Bosco
One of the best spiritual friends a high school boy can have is Saint Dominic Savio. Page by page, his contagious innocence will edify and inspire you. Join this young hero in his battles against the world, the flesh, the devil, and bad companions. You will also see how he encouraged his friends to promote the glory of God and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“We can truthfully say that Dominic’s life was one long act of devotion to Our Lady.” (p. 53) His life was short, but excellent. If you are looking for a patron to stand with you in your high school struggles, befriend Saint Dominic Savio. He is a spiritual warrior, not a weakling.
2. Stronger than Steel: Soldiers of the Great War Write to Thérèse of Lisieux (compiled by Les Poilus)
This work is a compilation of short letters written to Thérèse of Lisieux by grateful French soldiers. The letters reveal how small acts of devotion to this Carmelite nun led to extraordinary graces and remarkable miracles during World War I.
You will stand alongside machine gunners, run with medics, and endure harrowing skirmishes with soldiers who kept prayer on their lips and devotion in their hearts for this “Little Flower.” And in case you thought devotion to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was only for women, consider that one soldier named his machine gun “The Little Flower” (p. 91).
3. An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC by Norman J. Fulkerson
Fervent Catholic, Col. John W. Ripley demonstrates what a disciplined warrior is capable of when strengthened by God’s grace.
During the Easter Offensive in Vietnam in 1972, Colonel Ripley, under intense enemy fire, destroyed the strategic Dong Ha bridge, halting the communist North Vietnamese advance. He accomplished this seemingly impossible feat while praying, “Jesus, Mary, get me there…”
4. Our Lady of Fatima by William Thomas Walsh
What is it like to see the Mother of God? The seers of the 1917 Fatima apparitions can tell you. This book draws you into the peaceful countryside of rural Portugal, where you will come to know the three children who saw Our Lady of Fatima: Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia.
You will witness their spiritual growth as Our Lady formed them through her grace-filled apparitions, as well as the persecution they endured from atheist government officials. Most importantly, you will discover what Our Lady desired—and continues to desire—for you and for the conversion of the world.
5. The Great Siege: Malta 1565 by Ernle Bradford
Trapped between land and sea, Grand Master Jean de la Valette is tasked with repelling one of the largest assaults of the Ottoman Empire in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest sieges in history.
Outnumbered, outgunned, and largely unsupported by the mainland, this pivotal battle would help determine the fate of Christian Europe. If Malta falls, the balance of power in the Mediterranean could be decisively altered. The defense of Europe’s gateway falls upon the armored shoulders of the heroic knights of the Order of St. John.
6. Secret of the Rosary by Saint Louis de Montfort
You probably know how to pray the Rosary, but do you know why it is such a powerful weapon against Satan? Saint Louis de Montfort helps devotees of Our Lady to draw even greater graces from each Rosary by revealing methods, meditations, symbolism, stories, and the spiritual fruits of this “Psalter of Mary.”
Whether you are a beginner or already devoted, you will never pray the Rosary the same way after reading this.
7. Victories of the Martyrs by Saint Alphonsus Liguori
These accounts present gripping stories of early Catholic heroes who refused to deny their Faith to save their lives. The narratives span the Roman persecutions and the wave of Japanese martyrdoms.
The heroes and heroines of this work include soldiers, wives, priests, virgins, young and old. Whatever your state in life, you will find a role model in this powerful collection of Catholic witness and steadfastness. It will strengthen your Faith.
8. The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Alfred Lansing
Set sail for a page-turning account of Antarctic survival and extraordinary leadership. Sir Ernest Shackleton led a daring expedition to penetrate the polar pack ice and explore the southernmost reaches of the globe. His ship, Endurance, would become trapped and ultimately crushed in the relentless pressure of the ice.
Shackleton and his crew were forced to abandon ship, their fate uncertain as they became stranded in a vast frozen wasteland. Discover how these indomitable men survived against all odds to tell their extraordinary story.
9. Life of Mary as Seen by the Mystics by Raphael Brown
After the life of Our Lord, what life could be more sublime and edifying for a Catholic to read about than that of His Holy Mother? The revelations given to mystics such as Elizabeth of Schonau, Bridget of Sweden, Mary of Agreda, and Anne Catherine Emmerich shed light on Our Lady’s largely hidden life.
You will witness every episode of her life as if you were an angelic observer—from her immaculate youth to her Coronation in Heaven—and see Mary’s wondrous role as Co-Redemptrix of mankind.
10. The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin
Saint Brendan was an extraordinary explorer of the ancient seas. However, skeptics have long questioned whether this intrepid Irish monk truly reached North America. Tim Severin set out to recreate the voyage himself and test those claims firsthand.
As you follow this journey, prepare for storms, waves, and daring feats as Severin retraces the legendary course of Saint Brendan in a leather boat.
11. The Peacemaker Who Went to War by John Matthias Haffert
“If you want peace, prepare for war.” This is the story of Saint Nuno Alvares Pereira, the warrior-saint of Portugal. With the Holy Name of Mary inscribed on his heart—as well as on his sword—the Holy Constable defended Portugal against invading Castilian forces and preserved the nation’s independence.
A shining example of Catholic chivalry, the life and deeds of Saint Nuno continue to inspire devotion and courage.
12. Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco: From the Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco
God’s hand-picked patron for Catholic boys, St. John Bosco was a guide, mentor, and role model for the boys of his oratory. In this book, you will encounter the stories and lessons he shared with his students, including how to receive Holy Communion worthily, make a good confession, develop a strong devotion to Our Lady, and avoid common pitfalls in the spiritual life.