Long before Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor raised her famous peacocks as an adult in rural Georgia, she kept canaries and chickens at 207 E. Charlton St., her childhood home in Savannah.

While 5-foot-7 senior guard Milan Brown honed her significant skills on the court, she was also working feverishly to complete another project that very few people her age would consider — getting her first book, “Stepping into History, A VR Adventure,” published in time for Black History Month.

In a new book, “Climbing the Rainbow,” Kathy Wandishin shares her family’s harrowing journey of losing a son and offers some profound insights about the nature of grief and the importance of hope and trust in God.

Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, who has led the observatory since 2015, shares his journey of becoming a Jesuit astronomer, explains the compatibility of science and faith and guides readers on how to look at the heavens in a new book released Feb. 4 by Loyola Press.

Climate change and poverty are “the sick fruit” of pride, selfishness and a “blind war” humanity has declared against itself and the planet, Pope Francis said.

While calling himself an “old man” and saying he never expected to be pope this long, Pope Francis said he still has dreams for the future.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth — the world of “The Lord of the Rings” and now the new animated film “The War of the Rohirrim” — was born, first and foremost, from Tolkien’s intense and lifelong love for language.

On Pope Francis’ 88th birthday, two major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean published two different excerpts from his new book on hope.

Childish musings and wonder can give way to mystery as we get older and the idea of a young woman conceived without sin, bearing the son of God seems so far away from everyday life.

In the spirit of happy browsing, here are some suggestions for Christmas book-giving (not “gifting”!) at a historical moment that needs equal doses of realism and hope.