Forgotten Classics in American Catholicism

Avid readers have all had the experience of rediscovering long-forgotten favorites hidden among our shelves. Those moments invite us to revisit works that might have faded from memory. They often lead us to a renewed appreciation for works of literature or scholarship as we read them anew with fresh eyes. They lead us to want to share our excitement and insights with others. It is in that spirit that American Catholic Studies invited several scholars to reflect on "forgotten classics" in the field of American Catholicism. We asked them to share short reflections on older works that deserve renewed attention or whose lasting value is worthy of greater recognition. We are pleased here to feature essays by William Issel, Una Cadegan, William Dinges, and Nicholas Rademacher. Together, their respective reflections on forgotten classics in the fields of history, literature, sociology, and theology speak to the disciplinary diversity found within Catholic studies and encourage us to seek out these and other great works that still have much to say to us today. We hope that a segment on "forgotten classics" will become a recurring feature in these pages. We invite those who might be interested in writing about other forgotten classics to contact us at americancatholicstudies@villanova.edu.