The Blessed Eucharist by Father Michael Mueller is excellent.

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence is short and inspirational. Read a few pages before you buy it, though, as some translations are "thee" and "thou" older English. 96 pages

Crossing the Threshold of Faith by John Paul II is a very easy read, although a little longer. 256 pages

If both of these are too long you might try just reading good articles - like at http://www.catholic.com (you can also get a free magazine copy of This Rock).

Let me know what you think.

Allow me to add to more MUST READS in general books on Catholicism:

Avery Dulles, The New World of Faith

Henri de Lubac, The Christian Faith

Here're two must reads that are available on line:

The Golden Legend is a medieval lives of the saints that contains some stuff that sounds out there to us, but plenty that is very clear and gives many great expositions of important faith issues, but at the same time is unpoluted by anti-reformation apologetics:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/goldenlegend/

The Golden Chain was Aquinas's compilation of patristic commentary on the Gospels -- verse by verse! Two of the Gospels are on line at ccel:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2.html
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.html

It'd be great if I could find Henri Daniel-Rops available for purchase, but I've had trouble with that so far.

If you can't get it at a library, use this to search a ton of used book sites.

http://used.addall.com/

There are alot of Daniel-Rops' books on there. Ebay sometimes has them as well.

It would be nice if they were reprinted though as well.

That is true and should be kept in mind lest you become a SSPX.
The Doctrine cotained is extraodirnay and the best Q and A set out there but I would say 10 percent of the stuff there has changed mostly disciplianry things, women covering thier heads in church, Cremation, married men becoming priest - we now have married priest through a dispensation for protestnat clergy so its not as absolute as in the book and now we have married deacons as well, why only latin mass must be used in the Latin Rite, why the dietary laws for every Friday must be kept this is no longer the case except for Lent other Fridays we can choose another penance. Etc Etc. Since Vatican 2 we have a softened stance on the death penalty not presented here. Also the ecunemical stance of the church has softened in language since this book was written.

There is similar book series out there that is nearly as good and very much updated to Vatican 2 and contains modern questions not asked in the Radio Reply days, Such as Stem Cell Research, Viagra, Pope Pius XII controversy, Rapture, Sex Education, Cremation, Holy Laughter, Kwanzaa, , Sex Edcucation, Organ Transplants, Third Secret of Fatima, Clergy Sex Abuse, New Age, Women Priests, Birth Control, and a different take on evolution and the death penalty. This Set has 2 books its called Catholic Replies 1 and 2 but its not as comprehensive on dogma as the Radio Replies so I wouldn't throw away those books for this newer series but would get the newer series for the better reference on church law in regards to customs that can be changed and have been changed since Vatican 2. Keep the Radio Replies for the hard hitting reference in regards to dogma. So my suggestion is to buy both. Both series covers enough things that the other series does not that their is unique value in each set even though there is some overlap. I think one would be suprised of just how much the Radio Replies stuff still aplies for today. Frankly I think they should come up with the same edition but the Q and A stuff that is in contradiction to Vatican 2 edited to conform to modern church teaching or else this book might become a weapon for SSPX and Sedevanctist.

My fiance liked the book "Why do Catholics do That?", recomended by Gherkin.

Has anyone read "Three to get Married by Fulton Sheen "? Is it good?

My husband and I read, "Three to get Married" by Fulton Sheen when we were engaged as part of our marriage prep by the priest. It was great from what I can recall. We couldn't wait to read the next chapter. Thanks for reminding me about it, I think I'll mail it to a niece who is engaged!!

Leo J. Trese: The Faith Explained is really inspirational and explains a lot of the teaching of the church. From the Trinity to Matrimony.
I read the third edition wish is updated to suit us modern people better. (It was originally written in the sixties.

I love the new jerusalem bible. The main reason why is because it is written in a way that makes it easy to understand for those who want to know the meaning of a text rather than the exact translation of the original greek.

Reading the bible in this way has really opened up my eyes to much of it's message.

Of course I love the new american bible too. But variety is so pleasant and revealing.

in the love of Him who died for me,

Ben

I went to every Sunday Mass during my RCIA formation feeling kinda distant. About a month before my initiation I finally picked up "The Lamb's Supper" by Scott Hahn and could not put it down.

I now have an understanding of the Mass that makes me anxious enough that I want to go every day.

After my initiation my sponsor got me another book: "A Guide for Unfinished Christians."-also by Dr. Hahn and Mike Aquilina-a must read!

To the moral theology I would add 'Moral Darwinism' and 'Architects of the Culture of Death'by Dr. Benjamin Wiker. Great books that reveals how a truly catholic cosmology views society's current addiction to modern materialism and moral relativism. Intense topics but very easy reading

" A Beginners Guide to Catholic Christianity " is what my RCIA class used. It was very informative and helpful!!! Hope this helps!!!

I cannot believe that St. Alphonsus's Glories of Mary is omitted from "the List."

To "Scripture" I would add Msgr. Steinmueller's three-volume Companion to Scripture Studies. I think it is out of print but it is well worth trying to hunt down a copy.

I would not recommend it to someone investigating. It contains a lot of statements that need a lot of context to be understood, and an inquirer will not have that context.

Come on, if one is going to include Introduction to Phenomenology one can surely include anything by St. Alphonsus on the "Intermediate/Advanced" section of the list!

On Intermediate/Advanced, sure. I'm dozing off at the very thought of reading Introduction to Phenomenology/

FYI - the Sinner's Guide is online

http://www.ewtn.com/library/SPIRIT/GRANADA.HTM

and I'd like to suggest "This Tremendous Lover" (I'm just getting into this thread for some reason so if I double up on something it's because I'm just trying to catch up.)

The Glories of Mary is the best book on Mary ever IMHO. However, Non-Catholics and those investigating the Church simply will not be able to handle this book without some formation. Keep in mind the nature of this list. It is for people investigating the Church or at least new to the Church. This isn't meant to be a list of the best Catholic books out there. If it were, this list would be much different.

The genesis of this list if that sometimes people come here asking questions and wanting to know the Church's view on something and ask for recommendations. Obviously many people here do not need this list, but it is aimed mostly at those investigating the faith or new to it. There is an intermediate list since some people investigating the faith are more theologically trained than others.

If someone wants to put together a list of the best Catholic books on subjects that would be good. We could put it in the book forum.

As for phenomenology, anyone who has read my posts knows that I'm not a big fan, but that was included mostly because of the popularity of JPII.