Books for Pro-Life Activists
ShareCHAPTER 22 — BOOKS FOR PRO-LIFE ACTIVISTS
American Life League
SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME.
Popular bumpersticker.
Introduction.
Anyone considering joining the fight against abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia must be armed with knowledge about these issues, because pro-life activists will constantly encounter opposition and questions wherever they go: From co-workers, relatives, friends, and even from fellow churchgoers.
Any pro-life activist can obtain a library of information at moderate expense which will provide just about all of the information he or she needs to operate effectively.
There are generally three excellent sources of abortion-related books in every city: The library, the local National Right to Life Committee affiliate office (you can find the number in your White Pages or in Chapter 20, "Pro-Life Organizations"), and, oddly enough, used bookstores in your area. Many used bookstores have a rapid turnover on their life-issue related books, and both pro-life and pro-abortion books are usually available, mostly used and at greatly reduced prices.
Categories of Information.
The following categories of books are usually easily available from the above sources. One or two volumes from each category will make an excellent library that is invaluable to any pro-life activist, regardless of experience level.
More up-to-date information is available in the many national and local periodicals issued by pro-life groups all over the country, and it is vital for activists to subscribe to those that concern them. A list of many of the better national periodicals is contained in Chapter 23.
CATEGORIES OF BOOKS ON THE LIFE ISSUES
General Principles and Philosophy
•Primers on the life issues
•Principles of Christian living
•Anti-life philosophy and thought
•History of the anti-life movements
•Legal issues regarding the life issues
•Statistics and demographic data
•Reference
•Strategy and tactics
•Politics
Specific Life Issues
•Animal rights
•Capital punishment
•Contraception
•Communism/Atheism/Marxism/Socialism
•Environmental issues
•Euthanasia/Infanticide
•Homosexuality
•Human reproduction
•"Just war" theory
•"New Age" philosophy
•Overpopulation
•Pornography
Some books are generalized 'primers' which are especially useful for the beginning pro-life activist. They address a broad range of issues and possess little depth.
Other books have little range but great depth, because they examine a narrow topic in great detail. These books are more useful for research by the scholar or veteran pro-life activist who has narrowed his or her field(s) of interest considerably.
Book Reviews.
The Pro-Life Activist's Encyclopedia provides three sources of book reviews for the pro-life researcher's use;
(1) The Encyclopedia consists of 140 chapters in three volumes. Most chapters that deal with the life issues end with reviews of several books that address each topic in detail.
(2) Appendix B of Volume III, "Tips for Further Research," contains a comprehensive list of books that deal with very narrow research-related topics such as medical and legal information.
(3) Some books are designed as introductory texts or 'primers' on the topics of contraception, abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, homosexuality and other issues. These books cover many aspects of the life issues and make excellent generalized reference texts for the pro-life activist, regardless of his or her experience level. The remainder of this chapter consists of reviews of an assortment of more than fifty of these primers.
REVIEWS OF PRO-LIFE PRIMERS: Abortion and Euthanasia
Randy Alcorn. Pro Life Answers to Pro Choice Arguments.
Multnomah Press, 10209 SE Division Street, Portland, Oregon 97226. 1992, 300 pages. A truly excellent book that covers all of the salient points of rebuttal to 39 standard pro-abort slogans. There are five parts to the book, by clusters of slogans: Arguments concerning life, humanity, and personhood; arguments concerning rights and fairness; arguments concerning social issues; arguments concerning health and safety; arguments concerning the "hard cases;" and arguments against the character of prolifers.
John O. Anderson with Doug Brendel. Cry of the Innocents: Abortion and the Race Towards Judgment.
South Plainfield, New Jersey: Bridge Publishing. 1984, 185 pages. Scriptural background on sin in America and the parallels between our society and the Israel of Hosea's time make this book frightening and motivating reading. Pastor Anderson also has a "Cry of the Innocents" videotape, and he is available for presentations. Write to John O. Anderson, Post Office Box 152, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601.
John Ankerberg and John Weldon. When Does Life Begin?: And 39 Other Tough Questions About Abortion.
Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt Publishers, 1989, 252 pages. This book is one of the best primers the pro-life movement has, because it contains everything that a new activist needs to know. It has four logically laid-out sections: (1) the basic question on when human life begins; (2) answering pro-abort slogans; (3) a Biblical and theological analysis of abortion, and (4) what Christians and churches can do to stop the American Holocaust.
James Bopp, Jr. Human Life and Health Care Ethics.
National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund, 1985. 320 pages. Reviewed by Thomas Marzen on pages 6 and 11 of the October 24, 1985 National Right to Life News. A thorough review of the fundamental issues revolving about providing or withholding medical treatment.
T.J. Bosgra. Abortion, the Bible and the Church.
Hawaii Right to Life Educational Foundation, Post Office Box 10129, Honolulu, Hawaii 96816. Although somewhat out of date by this time, this book is still timely in that it discusses what the Bible says about abortion and lists the actual quotes from statements made by 150 major churches on the subject of abortion.
Gale Brennen. Alone.
1984, 32 pages, hardbound. Order from ALONE, Post Office Box 102, Elm Grove, Wisconsin 53122. The heartbreaking story of a young boy whose mother aborts his younger sibling and then attempts to justify her decision in the name of "openness." The numerous photographs accurately portray the charged emotions of the family members as the young boy asks questions that his parents can't answer, such as "Why didn't you abort me?" This book is reviewed on page 8 of the August 22, 1985 National Right to Life News.
William Brennan. The Abortion Holocaust: Today's Final Solution.
1983, 237 pages. Order from Landmark Press, Post Office Box 13547, 1461 Dunn Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63138, or Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898, or American Life Lobby, Post Office Box 490, Stafford, Virginia 22554. Reviewed by David H. Andrusko on page 6 of the March 10, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News and on page 34 of the April 1984 ALL About Issues. This book is an incredibly detailed presentation of the hundreds of parallels between the Nazi holocaust of World War II and the one going on in the United States right now. Traces the development of the holocausts from years before they 'went public' to their final horrible configurations. The best available documentation of the more than 225 intimate parallels between the original Holocaust and the one now being perpetrated in our country. A 'must read' for pure interest and fascinating facts.
Father James Tunstead Burtchaell (editor). Abortion Parlay.
Andrews and McNeel, Inc, 1981. 352 pages. Reviewed by Effie A. Quay on page 8 of the February 8, 1982 issue of National Right to Life News. Proceedings of the abortion conference at Notre Dame University in October 1979. This conference did not address the core issues of abortion, but rather attempted to 'reconcile' opposing viewpoints regarding ancillary topics.
Father James Tunstead Burtchaell. Rachel Weeping: The Case Against Abortion.
New York: Harper & Row, 1982. 381 pages. Five essays, marked with crystal-clear reasoning and fully documented, addressing several major arguments against abortion, including the Holocaust analogy, the slavery analogy, and point-by-point rebuttals of pro-abortion slogans. Of particular interest is the first essay, which uses pro-abortion sources to show how damaging abortion is to women.
Martin Chervin. Born Unborn.
Order from Theater Without Walls, Post Office Box 661236, Los Angeles, California 90066. A dramatic description of the horrors of abortion from the points of view of the baby, the mother, and society.
Daughters of St. Paul. Pro-Life Catechism.
98 pages, St. Paul Editions. An invaluable reference for Catholics, this book summarizes Church teaching on various life-related issues. Arranged in a question-and-answer format with answers drawn from official church documents.
John Jefferson Davis. Abortion and the Christian: What Every Believer Should Know.
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Box 817, Phillipsburg, New Jersey 08865. 1984, 125 pages. This book answers the basic questions of abortion for the Christian: when does life begin, what does Scripture say about prenatal killing, if abortion is ever justified, the dangers of abortion, and what the Christian can do about the current situation.
Donald DeMarco, Ph.D. Abortion in Perspective.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. An analysis of the empty philosophy behind all of the pro-abortion rhetoric. This book allows the activist to understand where the pro-aborts are "coming from," and thus allows a more effective and reasoned response.
Eugene F. Diamond, M.D. This Curette for Hire.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898. The author discusses the deterioration of medical ethics and the critical role of the doctor in all anti-life activities: abortion, fetal experimentation, sterilization, euthanasia, infanticide, sex therapy, and more.
Richard Exley. Abortion: Pro-Life By Conviction, Pro-Choice By Default.
Honor Books, Post Office 55388, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74155. 1989, 114 pages. A good primer, very eloquently written on the foundations of the abortion debate: Rights, the beginnings of life, child abuse, rape and incest, post-abortion syndrome, the "coathanger myth," and profiles of several pro-life heroes.
Bernard J. Ficarra, M.D. Abortion Analyzed.
Old Town, Maine: Health Educators Publications. 1989, 226 pages. Reviewed by William F. Colliton, Jr., M.D, on page 46 of the April 1990 issue of ALL About Issues. A very good primer on the basic medical, legal, scientific, social, theological, political, and bioethical aspects of abortion, with one serious flaw; the author opens up the door to the use of abortifacients by equating the time of ensoulment with implantation, not fertilization.
Paul B. Fowler. Abortion: Toward an Evangelical Consensus.
Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1987. 222 pages. The author traces the roots and social forces that decimated the Christian consensus against abortion before Roe v. Wade, and argues against the statement that the unborn are only 'potential persons.' The best part of the book is a comprehensive examination of what Scripture says about life, death, and the unborn. Mr. Fowler also challenges all Christians to do what they can to end the abortion holocaust.
Stephen Freind. God's Children.
New York: Morrow, 1987. 538 pages. Reviewed by Diane Parente on page 9 of the July 2, 1987 National Right to Life News. A fascinating fiction written by a Pennsylvania legislator that includes a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the legislative process, mixed in with an exciting story line.
Jonathan and Jeanette Gainsbrugh. The Christian Resource Directory.
The Fleming H. Revell Company, Old Tappan, New Jersey 07675. 1988, 500 pages. This book lists over 20,000 books, films, magazines, and ministries that cover more than 400 topics in every area of activism that Christians could possibly be interested in. These include abortion, atheists, child abuse, Communists, cults, Dungeons and Dragons, feminism, home schooling, homosexuals, humanists, Christian magazines, Nazis, New Agers, pornography, Satanists, suicide, teenagers, unwed mothers, and witchcraft. The Gainsbrughs can be contacted at Worldshakers for Christ, Post Office Box P-1, Felton, California 95018, telephone: (408) 438-5683.
Richard L. Ganz (editor). Thou Shalt Not Kill: The Christian Case Against Abortion.
New York: Arlington House Publishers. 1978, 200 pages. Seven distinguished pro-life authors, including Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, Susan Foh, and Harold O.J. Brown, examine the various fundamental aspects of abortion: Medical, psychological, Biblical, historical, legal, moral, and with regards to women's liberation. A good primer in the fundamental issues.
Thomas A Glessner. Achieving an Abortion-Free America By 2001.
Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1990, 281 pages. The director of the Christian Action Council traces the history of the destruction of protection for the unborn in this country and outlines a political and legislative strategy for rebuilding it. The book has good emphasis on attacking and defunding Planned Parenthood. Appendix D is Marvin Olasky's very useful analysis of the abortophile public relations campaign against crisis pregnancy centers.
John L. Grady, M.D. Abortion: Yes or No?
Paperback. Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. This short book, which has sold almost two million copies, gives a short and straightforward summary of the case against abortion. Ideal for discussion with an open-minded pro-abort (if such exists).
Greenhaven Press. Abortion: Opposing Viewpoints.
Greenhaven Press Opposing Viewpoints Series, Post Office Box 289009, San Diego, California 92128-9009. 1986, 214 pages. Reviewed by John P. Murray on page 11 of the November 6, 1986 National Right to Life News. Very readable collection of essays on the fundamental issues surrounding abortion. Excellent for preparation by pro-life debaters. The questions asked are: "When Does Life Begin?;" Should Abortion Remain a Personal Choice?;" "Is Abortion Immoral?;" "Can Abortion Be Justified?;" "Should Abortion Remain Legal?:" and "Are Extremist Tactics Justified in the Abortion Debate?" Authors include Joe Scheidler, Kristin Luker, Cardinal John O'Connor, and Melinda Delahoyde. A catalog is available from the above address and can be obtained by calling 1-(800) 231-5163.
Germain Grisez and Joseph Boyle. Life and Death and Liberty and Justice.
Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1979. Reviewed by Richard Stith on pages 185 to 189 of the Summer 1979 issue of the International Review of Natural Family Planning. An extraordinarily detailed and broad examination of all of the primary areas of contention in the euthanasia battle. Considered by most to be a 'must read' for serious anti-euthanasia activists.
Jeff Lane Hansley (editor). The Zero People: Essays on Life.
Servant Books, 1983. 310 pages. Reviewed by Douglas Johnson on page 9 of the November 24, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News. An anthology of 26 essays on the life issues, most of which are extracted from the Human Life Review. This book is useful to all pro-life activists, no matter what their experience level, because the accomplished writers bring together all of the life issues, explain them, and show how they are inextricably intertwined.
Thomas W. Hilgers, M.D., and Dennis J. Horan, editors. Abortion and Social Justice.
1973. Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. This book covers the general medical, legal and social aspects of the abortion holocaust, and is also a good 'primer' for the beginning pro-life activist or a memory refresher for the veteran.
Thomas W. Hilgers, M.D., Dennis J. Horan, and David Mall (editors). New Perspectives on Human Abortion.
Frederick, Maryland: Aletheia Books, University Publications of America, 1981. A superb compilation of essays by the most experienced pro-lifers in the land, dealing with virtually all of the basic issues involved in taking human life. An excellent primer for any pro-life activist. Articles include "Abortion Related Maternal Mortality: An In-Depth Analysis," on pages 69 to 91, and "An Objective Model for Estimating Criminal Abortions and its Implications for Public Policy," on pages 164 to 181.
Dennis J. Horan and Melinda Delahoyde (editors). Infanticide and the Handicapped Newborn.
Brigham Young University Press, 1982, 127 pages. Reviewed by David Andrusko on page 15 of the March 24, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News and by Charles E. Rice on page 22 of the April 1983 ALL About Issues. An excellent collection of nine essays by Dennis Horan, Jerome LeJeune, M.D., C. Everett Koop, Eugene F. Diamond, M.D., and others.
Dennis J. Horan, Edward R. Grant, and Paige C. Cunningham. Abortion and the Constitution: Reversing Roe v. Wade Through the Courts.
Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1987, 374. This collection of papers on the background and history of abortion, Roe v. Wade, and strategies for attacking the Abortion Decisions, is often used by pro-life attorneys and makes relatively easy reading for the lay activist. This is the book to read for an understanding of the judicial underpinnings of abortion in our country.
Robert E. and Mary Rosera Joyce. Let Us Be Born.
Franciscan Herald Books, 1434 West 51st Street, Chicago, Illinois 60609. 1970, 98 pages. Although this book is twenty years old, it proves once again that the basics of the abortion issue never really change. The book could have been published yesterday. It is an easy-reading primer on the general arguments on both sides of the issue during the pre-Roe era. These arguments must inevitably remain the same in the post-Roe era.
Thomas G. Klasen. A Pro-Life Manifesto.
Westchester, Illinois: Crossway Books, Good News Publishers, 1988. 160 pages. Reviewed by John Hinshaw in the March 1989 issue of Fidelity Magazine. Mr. Klasen asserts that the pro-life movement is laboring under false assumptions and using less than optimal strategies. Although some of his assumptions are weak, he rightly demands that the Movement use the power of aborted women and to console them in its campaign to stop abortion. He proposes a series of "mourning centers" in large cities where women could go to mourn their dead and unborn babies. We must recognize the silent victims of the American Holocaust before we can heal as individuals and as a nation.
Eike-Henner W. Kluge. The Practice of Death.
London: Yale University Press. 1975, 250 pages. The author ties together in a general manner the philosophy and tactics of all of the pro-death movements: abortion, infanticide, suicide, euthanasia, and 'senicide.'
Peter Kreeft. The Unaborted Socrates: A Dramatic Debate on the Issues Surrounding Abortion.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898. Reviewed by Richard Doerflinger on page 5 of the November 24, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News. This book shows that all arguments for and against abortion are reduced to one primary position: That the unborn are or are not persons. It is also a valuable debating tool in that it shows pro-lifers how to master the Socratic method of clarifying issues and their underlying themes through logic and directed questioning.
J.R. Lucas. Weeping In Ramah.
1987. Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898. A fictional account of how life would be in the future if the anti-life forces gain complete control of society (this book is the pro-life answer to the pro-abort fiction The Handmaid's Tale). Describes how the nationally-based pro-life groups have been neutralized and how a small but determined pro-life underground risk and lose their lives in their struggle to save babies. This is prophecy unless we can mobilize!
David Mall. In Good Conscience: Abortion and Moral Theory.
Kairos Books, 1982. 166 pages, hardbound, paperback. Reviewed by Wanda Franz, Ph.D., on page 20 of the January 6, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News, and by Steven Baer on page 10 of the November 24, 1983 issue of the same publication. This excellent book demonstrates the absolute correctness of the pro-life position and demonstrates the destruction that must inevitably occur in a society preoccupied with death.
David Mall and Walter F. Watts, M.D. (editors). The Psychological Aspects of Abortion.
Sponsored by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University. 1979: University Publications of America, Inc, Washington, DC. 156 pages. Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898. This collection of studies covers post-abortion psychosis, abortion and the consequent abuse of siblings, the psychic causes of the abortion mentality, and how abortion depersonalizes both the individual and society in general. Written in layman's language, easily readable, and filled with good and indisputable information.
Father Paul Marx, OSB. And Now ... Euthanasia
(Second revised edition). Human Life International, 7845-E Airpark Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879. Telephone: (301) 670-7884. 1985, 106 pages. This little book, directed at the general reader, offers an up-to-date assessment of the euthanasia situation in the United States and other countries. The basic history of euthanasia, the tactics of the pro-killing people, and the role of the courts are examined. Essential basic reading for the beginning anti-euthanasia activist.
Father Vincent P. Miceli. The Roots of Violence.
229 pages. Order from Our Lady's Book Service, Nazareth Homestead, R.D. 1, Box 258, Constable, New York 12926, telephone: 1-800-263-8160. This book explains the roots of the violence that is flooding our society today. It examines in detail our general apostasy from the word of God, and our society's resulting allegiance to the corrupt morals and secular values of the world.
Bernard M. Nathanson, M.D. The Abortion Papers: Inside the Abortion Mentality.
Idea Books, Post Office Box 4010, Madison, Wisconsin 53711. 1985, 192 pages. Reviewed by Nancy Koster on page 6 of the November 24, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News. A former prolific abortionist exposes the anti-Catholic bigotry of the pro-abortion movement, discusses the role of the blatantly biased media in obtaining abortion on demand, and explores what the science of fetology has revealed about the unborn child. This enjoyable book is written in George Will's wry and acerbic style. Dr. Nathanson is one of the co-founders of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). Chapter 3, "Catholics," pages 177 to 209, describes in detail how NARAL used blatant anti-Catholic bigotry to push liberalized abortion laws and undermine the teachings of the Church. Other examples of NARAL skulduggery abound in this book. For example, NARAL asserted to the state of Massachusetts that pro-life groups have no right to endorse pro-life candidates, even if the groups are not tax-exempt. In the ensuing lawsuit, Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc., the right to distribute such literature was upheld. This is typical of the harassment lawsuits brought by NARAL and others when any pro-life efforts are in progress. Pro-aborts almost never spend money themselves, but get a government entity to go after pro-life activists. Also see Chapter 1, "Abortion and the Media," pages 7 to 109, and Chapter 2, "Fetology for Pro-Life," pages 111 to 175. Chapter 2 consists of a detailed and interesting history of fetology in the United States.
Joan Lowery Nixon. Before You Were Born.
Our Sunday Visitor, Huntington, Indiana, 46750. 28 pages, 1980. This is an excellent pro-life book that is basic enough to read to small children.
John T. Noonan, Jr. A Private Choice: Abortion in America.
New York: The Free Press, 1979. Reviewed by Joseph M. Boyle in the Summer 1980 issue of the International Review of Natural Family Planning, pages 173 to 175. This is perhaps the finest 'primer' book on abortion that has ever been issued. It thoroughly and clearly covers all of the basic arguments and aspects of the abortion debate in a general manner, and could serve as a 'framework' for further study by pro-life activists of any experience level.
Catherine and William Odell. The First Human Right: A Pro-Life Primer.
1983, 92 pages. Order from Our Sunday Visitor, 200 Noll Plaza, Huntington, Indiana 46750, telephone: 1-800-348-2440. Reviewed by Mary Kay Culp on page 8 of the November 24, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News.
Father John Powell. Abortion: The Silent Holocaust.
Allen, Texas: Argus Communications, 1981. 183 pages. Father Powell uses his familiar theme of God's unconditional love to build a strong case against abortion, and offers a challenge to Christians: "[On the] Day of Divine Judgment ... these questions will be asked by the Lord of Life: Were you there? Did you see? Did you care?" Uncompromising, yet sensitive enough to affect the thinking of an open-minded pro-abort.
President Ronald Reagan. Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation.
Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 1984. Reviewed by Chilton Williamson, Jr. on page 58 of the August 24, 1984 issue of National Review. This is the first book written by a sitting President in decades, but it was pointedly ignored by the media and by the major publishing houses. It ranges over the generalities of abortion and concludes with incisive afterwords by C. Everett Koop and Malcolm Muggeridge.
Professor Charles E. Rice. Beyond Abortion: The Theory and Practice of the Secular State.
Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1979. 159 pages. Order from Keep the Faith, 810 Belmont Avenue, Post Office Box 8261, North Haledon, New Jersey 07508, telephone: (201) 423-5395. Reviewed by Donna Steichen in the Spring 1980 issue of the International Review of Natural Family Planning, pages 72 to 74. An examination of the underpinnings and workings of this secular state and how they inevitably lead to loss of faith, abortion, and euthanasia. A very good examination of the anti-life philosophies and how they originate and self-perpetuate in a society that turns away from God. Professor Rice shows us that there can be no real turning away from anti-life practices like abortion, infanticide, and other euthanasia, unless we acknowledge God as our master.
Professor Charles E. Rice. 50 Questions on Abortion, Euthanasia, and Related Issues.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898. This book examines the tactics and approaches used by the pro-life movement to fight abortion and euthanasia, and the various sources and causes of conflict between individuals and organizations within the Movement. Every activist and pro-life group should use this book as an aid to examining their attitudes toward the issues and toward their fellow activists.
Professor Charles E. Rice. No Exceptions: A Pro-Life Imperative.
Tyholland Press, Box 212, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556. 1990, 131 pages. A truly outstanding examination of the basic pro-life moral arguments against abortion. Pro-life direct and support activities are also described in some detail. Recommended for all new pro-life activists, and those veterans who want to redefine and sharpen their debating skills.
Right to Life Educational Trust Fund. RTL publishes a set of nine booklets by Carl Landwehr that outline an effective, unified strategy for stopping abortion in your town. The titles of the booklets, all of which are clearly written and are full of valuable information, accurately describe their contents. You may order these booklets separately or as a group from:
National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund
419 7th Street, NW, Suite 402
Washington, D.C. 20044
or from:
Life Issues Bookshelf
Sun Life
Thaxton, Virginia 24174
Telephone: (703) 586-4898.
(a) "Right to Life Grassroots Organizing." Thorough but simple guide for the organizing of new pro-life groups or the revival of old groups. Dedicated to the principle that success comes from organizing properly.
(b) "I'm Pro-Life, But What Can I Do?" A basic primer that shows how everyone has talents that the pro-life movement can use.
(c) "Understanding the Pro-Life Movement and Grassroots Strategy." How to use the many indigenous resources available in your community to accomplish pro-life goals without going to a lot of expense.
(d) "Changing Attitudes on Abortion: Pro-Life Education that Works." How to use the media, advertising, publicity, and displays to reach large numbers of people with the pro-life message.
(e) "Pro-Life Legislation: How to Win!" How to get pro-life legislators into office at the local and state level.
(f) "Keep the Pro-Life Issue Alive: Use Media Events." How to stage newsworthy events in order to keep the American Holocaust in the eye of the American public.
(g) "Involving Your Church in the Right to Life Issue." How to involve your congregation and, even more importantly, your pastor in pro-life activism.
(h) "Successful Fund Raising." How to raise large amounts of money for pro-life activities by putting on events that catch people's interest.
(i) "Motivating Your Group." How to select the proper people for the proper jobs. Certain personalities do best when given particular tasks.
A.R. Saqueton, M.D. In Defense of Life.
ARS Publishing Company, 1981. 232 pages. Reviewed by Felicia Goeken on page 9 of the May 10, 1982 issue of National Right to Life News and page 11 of the July 8, 1982 issue of the same publication. The 'Right to Die,' Living Wills, terminal conditions, and many other aspects of euthanasia are contained in this primer-type work.
Joe Scheidler. Closed: 99 Ways to Stop Abortion.
350 pages, sewn softcover. Order from Ignatius Press, 15 Oakland Avenue, Harrison, New York 10528, or from Keep the Faith, 810 Belmont Avenue, Post Office Box 8261, North Haledon, New Jersey 07508, telephone: (201) 423-5395. This book, written by the head of Chicago's Pro-Life Action League, is useful for the street activist. It doesn't map out a complete local or area strategy, but is instead a conglomeration of tactics that may be used in specific situations.
Stephen Schwarz. The Moral Question of Abortion.
Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1990. Reviewed by Dr. William A. Marra on page 53 of the Winter 1991 ALL About Issues. A searching examination of the slogans posed by the pro-abortion movement. Highly recommended.
R.C. Sproul. Abortion: A Rational Look At An Emotional Issue.
A tutorial class on the basic issues surrounding abortion. Video series, audio series, paperback book, and additional study guides are available. Order from Ligonier Ministries, Post Office Box 7500, Orlando, Florida 32854. Order by telephone at 1-800-435-4343.
Father Rosario Thomas. The Philosophy of Life: The Pope and the Right to Life.
Pro Fratribus Press, Post Office Box 223, Warren, New Hampshire 03279. 1989, 278 pages. Despite the title, this neat little book will be of great interest to all Christians. There are topics covered in this primer that are found in few other similar works: The media and abortion, the basic philosophy and theology of life, women and motherhood, natural family planning (NFP), euthanasia, and abortion and peace. All of these are logically covered and well-presented, but the reading can get a little 'thick' sometimes. Definitely a book that even an experienced activist will find challenging.
Sun Tzu. The Art of War.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1973. This classic book was written more than 3,500 years ago, but it remains the absolute last word on basic strategy and tactics.
Fredric Wertham, M.D. A Sign for Cain: An Exploration of Human Violence.
New York: Warner Publishers, 1973, 375 pages. Although it does not directly address abortion, this excellent book explores the roots, motivations, and expressions of human violence against other humans. Additionally, Dr. Wertham looks at the mechanics of violence in all of its forms. Abortion and euthanasia fit nicely into this picture.
K.D. Whitehead. Respectable Killing: The New Abortion Imperative.
1972, 294 pages. Order from Catholics United for the Faith, 222 North Avenue, New Rochelle, New York 10801. Such is the abortion issue that the central arguments never change. This book examines the central themes of both sides in a readable manner.
Dr. and Mrs. John C. Willke. Abortion: Questions and Answers.
1990, 315 pages. This book costs about three dollars and can be obtained from most Right to Life chapters or from the Right to Life Educational Foundation or from the Hayes Publishing Company, 6304 Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224. Telephone: (513) 681-7559. This book is the most complete generally-circulated, well-documented compendium of abortion statistics and history ever written, and is an invaluable tool for debaters. It is also available in Spanish (MANUAL Sobre el ABORTO).
Ellen Wilson. An Even Dozen.
New York: Human Life Press, 1982. 181 pages. Reviewed by Nancy Koster on page 8 of the December 9, 1982 National Right to Life News. A series of lucid and informative essays on the primary issues of our time, including homosexuality, abortion, and the separation of Church and state.
Lori Van Winden. The Case Against Abortion.
144 pages. Order from Liguori Publications, One Liguori Drive, Liguori, Missouri 63057-9999, telephone: (314) 464-2500. Reviewed in the National Right to Life News, January 22, 1989, page 19. Outlines in detail pro-life rebuttals to the twelve most popular pro-abort slogans and shows how these slogans are flawed in logic, scientific fact, and morals. Includes a pro-life primer on the basics: fetal development and abortion techniques and harmful effects.
Wolf Wolfenberger. The New Genocide of Handicapped and Afflicted People.
Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Training Institute. 1987, 114 pages. Reviewed by Julie Grimstad on page 46 of the May 1990 ALL About Issues. This little volume deals with the progressive expansion of "deathmaking" and its ties to the anti-life mentality.
Curt Young. The Least of These: What Everyone Should Know About Abortion.
Chicago: Moody Press, 1984. 225 pages. A good basic primer on the history and origins of the pro-abortion movement, the philosophy of the pro-life movement, and methods of abortion, among other important topics.
Other Sources.
As the pro-life activist becomes more specialized in his or her interests, local resources may not be sufficient for proper research or reading. National groups, including those listed in Chapter 20, "Pro-Life Organizations," and distributors, listed in Chapter 21, "Pro-Life Publicity," have literally thousands of books and cassette tapes available for sale or loan. Some of these groups also sell such items as sidewalk counselor literature, VHS tapes, pro-life T-shirts and sweatshirts, billboards, and other publicity items. The pro-life activist can find anything he needs with the help of these groups and publishers.
Chapter 23, "Pro-Life Periodicals," includes the addresses and telephone numbers of organizations that distribute specifically pro-life items, and also includes the addresses of numerous publishing houses that sell such materials.
© American Life League BBS - 1-703-659-7111
This is a chapter of the Pro-Life Activist's Encyclopedia, published by American Life League
