In this little gem Thomistic philosopher Josef Pieper sorts out with characteristic clarity the three concepts that express the main contours of truly human life. And in doing so, he offers us a foundation for real self-examination and improvement.

In this classic essay, Josef Pieper offers a powerful warning (already some 70 years ago!) that common practices are subtly but surely threatening our very humanity, by blinding us to the world around us.

One of the most famous speeches in the history of western civilization, this classic is a masterpiece of rhetoric that paints an unforgettable portrait of the ancient city of Athens, and the men who died in her defense.

In this remarkable excerpt, Josef Pieper explains that what Sunday and Easter celebrate not only underlies all other feasts but should permeate every moment of every day.

In this heart-stopping sketch, a spiritual master retells one of the most dramatic moments of the Passion of the Lord: the interchange with the good thief. It offers a unique angle into the Divine Mercy and will emblazon on your heart the words, “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”

Music, whether we realize it or not, “plays a role in man’s formation and perfection, as contribution or hindrance.” So argues the great philosopher Josef Pieper in articulating the wisdom of the ages about the power of music for good or ill. This brief, hard-hitting essay will change how you think about music, the mysterious reality entrusted to man by the divine.

This essay has no soft edges. Peguy is controversial and minces no words. “Today, an artisan is no longer an artisan.” “Those bygone workers… had an absolute honor.” Writing at the dawn of the twentieth century, Peguy is a Frenchman recalling pre-Industrial France; yet his trenchant reflections raise issues that have only become more pressing.

A master story-teller offers another delightful sketch of rural western Ireland when life was more simple but human interaction as rich and entertaining as ever.