The novena (from novem, Latin for "nine") is a prayer for a blessing, repeated nine times a day for nine days in a row, usually offered to a saint. "Generally, the saints are invoked for more material or health-related problems while the angels are invoked for more universal problems or to change a life path. The madonna can be invoked for anything but is most effective for those in distress of the soul, the guilt-ridden, and those troubled by family discord. The novenas directed toward God himself are the most spiritual and intense," write Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua in the introduction to their beautiful new book, Novena: The Power of Prayer. Illustrated with ravishing color portraits of saints, angels, and the madonna, each novena included in this book is complemented by a short history of the accompanying figure, related dates on the liturgical calendar, and stories about believers who have prayed these prayers. Even if you're not planning to pray a novena, this book is an entertaining and useful reference to one of the most popular prayer traditions in Catholicism. You'll learn, for instance, that St. Paul is the patron saint of both snake bite and journalists. Wonder if there's any connection. --Michael Joseph Gross