Discussion of Piety & Personality
We had our book club meeting to discuss my book Piety and Personality: The Temperaments of the Saints this past weekend. I’ve led and attended book clubs for years, but it’s a different experience when it’s your own book! :)
I hope that if you’ve been reading along with us here on Substack, that you are meeting up with your friends to talk about it too! Will you also consider hopping on Amazon to give it a review? Amazon seems to be offering it for 8% off - here’s the link: Piety and Personality
When I flip through the book, I am impressed with the thought, “Look what God did!” Even though I wrote these words myself (without the help of AI!), I feel that through the many edits, through the feedback of my beta readers, through the developmental and copy edits of my publisher, and most of all, through God’s grace, it has become something so much better. I’m awed by the final product. Praise God!
I learned vintage-Catholic-book-collecting from my mother and now have an extensive library of my own. One time, I went to a decluttering seminar at a public library. I asked about books, thinking that the decluttering expert would never agree that I need as many books as I have. To my surprise, she asked, “Are you a teacher?” She went on to say that as long as I was “using” the books, they weren’t clutter.
Having access to beautiful old writings of the Saints and other devout authors as I do, I feel I have a responsibility to share the goodness with others. As a joke, I have a T-shirt that says, “That’s What I Do. I Read Books and I Know Things.” More accurately, I have a collection of wonderful old Catholic books that I can dip into whenever I wish (or whenever I have time). I use them to share the nuggets of truth, beauty and goodness with my own readers. This is why my book has over 200 footnotes, not counting Scripture, because I am sharing these beautiful words (as well as my own humble writing) with the world. I think it’s my responsibility!
In 2011, I started a blog and started sharing quotes from my library that uplift and encourage. You can still see those old posts here on Substack, in the archives here. In the book, I also shared a message of hope and encouragement.
Kylie M. Hein, Catholic Life Coach, recently interviewed me for her podcast: Persistence in Prayer #102 Too Much or Not Enough? Saints & Self-Worth with Rosemary McGuire Berry. Kylie mentioned that as a choleric with a gift for speaking, she has a responsibility to be well-informed because people listen to her. That thought has stuck with me — I have a responsibility to share the knowledge and the “good words” which God has given me, whether by writing, speaking engagements, or leading pilgrimages. I pray that I can use my gifts for God’s glory.
What resources (like my library and ability to travel) and gifts (like my speaking, writing and leading pilgrimages) do YOU have, that you could share with the world? I don’t ask this question to make you feel guilty — you may be in a season where you are busy raising a family or working three jobs just to survive. But I mention it to inspire you. In what ways can you use your strengths, your gifts, and your resources, to help others and bring them closer to Christ?
Jennifer Fulwiler, in her book Your Blue Flame, talks about this concept, and she inspired me too! I talked more about this book, and some of my other favorite recent reads, in this post. My friend and I were able to attend a performance of Jen Fulwiler’s stand-up comedy to celebrate our birthdays recently. Her blue flame is to help others through clean comedy. We laughed the whole time!
But back to Piety and Personality: The Temperaments of the Saints. I am overjoyed to hear people’s thoughts and comments. People have told me that they are reading it on airplanes, on road trips, or at home in their living rooms with their spouses. Book club members and other readers have been lavish in their praise, for which I am very grateful! Here are a few of the comments:
“Love the book; you’re a real pro.”
“Just finished your book. Wow. It was SO good!!! You sure touched my heart with that book!”
“I’m only 2 pages in and I already LOVE it!!!”
“Very well done! Informative, humorous and insightful!”
“I am just a little into your book and it is a pearl!”
“I haven’t been able to stop reading it. I love it! I am not a reader, so that says a lot! Already learning a ton!”
Thank you all so much! I so appreciate your feedback and support. I hope you’ll stop by my website at https://www.RosemaryMcGuireBerry.com and sign up for my mailing list. I send out a monthly newsletter there to update you on what I’m doing, where I’m speaking, writing, or traveling.
I pray for you, my readers, and I hope that you will pray for me too!