Tom Baker suggests some of his favorite books that he returns to frequently:

William Barry, SJ, God and You: Prayer as a Personal Relationship. For anyone who wants to “start over” with a simple, refreshing approach to what prayer is all about.

Margaret Silf, Inner Compass: An Invitation to Ignatian Spirituality. A readable and very effective overview of St. Ignatius’ belief that we can find God alive and active in every part of our life.

James Finley, Merton’s Palace of Nowhere. A book to read slowly over time, to get a sense of what a relationship with God in prayer can be like. “Prayer begins to take on its full dimensions only when we begin to intuit that the subtle nothingness of prayer is everything.”

Iain Matthew, The Impact of God: Soundings from St. John of the Cross. The perfect book for anyone intimidated by this Spanish mystic, reminding us that in prayer it is always God taking the initiative, not us.