These days the Christmas story has become – with the star over the stable, the infant in the manger, the shepherds, the three kings and the wicked King Herod – so familiar that we rarely if ever look back to see what the Gospels actually say about the Nativity. It often surprises readers to find…

Recorded by Marco Polo, circa 1272

Some of our regular reviewers share with readers their choices among the books published this year, which most impressed them during their reading and reviewing through the course of 2015. The prices quoted are the publishers’ recommended prices, in either euros or pounds, and they may vary from outlet to outlet.    FELIX M. LARKIN…

The Easter Rising was at heart an act of the imagination, mixing themes from Irish history, religion and social vision. The poet Padraic Colum – a close friend of many of those involved in the Rising but exiled from them in America – emphasised to the New York Times in a long interview that the…

From the piles of new books for Christmas, this week we present a selection which may interest readers of The Irish Catholic, and make for a pleasant surprise for others under the Christmas tree…

Back to the Future: Reflections on Rural Life, Recession and Renewal over Thirty Years of Journalism by Ciaran Mullooly (Media People Ireland, €12)

Bridie Gallagher: The Girl from Donegal by Jim Livingstone, foreword by Daniel O’Donnell (The Collins Press, €19.99) Here is the story of one of Ireland’s greatest stars, written by her son, for many years her manager and musical director. He tells how a young girl from Donegal made her way in what has always been…

The Happiness Habit: A “Little Book” Guide To Your True Self by Fr Daniel O’Leary (Columba Press, €9.99)

By the Book’s Editor