What is your opinion on anonymous book authors?  I was thinking of writing a book / booklet / pamphlet on the some of the current issues of the catholic day (dangers of the novus ordo, "new rome" etc) and I am pondering using a surname, in order to remain anonymous.  

The main reason for wanting to remain unknown (at least at first) is because of my family.  My motivation for writing this book is for their benefit and (hopefully) conversion.  If they know I'm the author, they might dismiss the book.  Whereas, if I remain anonymous, they might read it and receive some benefits.  

As it is written:  (Matt 13: 54-58)

And coming into his own country, he taught them in their ѕуηαgσgυєs, so that they wondered and said: How came this man by this wisdom and miracles? 55Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude: 56And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things? 57And they were scandalized in his regard.

But Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58And he wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.


I'm certainly no prophet, but in a certain sense, all of us Traditionalists are like St John the Baptist, "crying in the wilderness" for the rest of society to convert, or else.  And though Christ foretold that in the end days families would be divided, father against son, daughter against Mother, etc, it still is hard to see your family fall away from the Faith or to go "with Rome".  Especially if they grew up in Tradition.  

So, though there are many, many writings out there that deal with these issues and explain them very well (probably better than I can), I feel that one can't stop preaching, writing, or discussing the problem until it is solved.  

Thanks in advance for your comments.  God bless.

I don't like the idea of using a pseudonym.  

I am the member that posted I don't like pseudonyms.  I did not post it anonymously on purpose.  I don't post much in this section, and I am still relatively new to CI(I don't know how it all works).

A lot of medieval literature is anonymous. The Song of Roland, The Cloud of Unknowing, and the Musica enchiriadis (first known text to describe organum), to name three that I know of. Orchesography is a 16th Century work on music and dance written pseudonymously by a French priest. I'm sure the examples could be multiplied.

I think an argument can be made either way.  Certainly, if one were to write things of a controversial, antagonistic or personal nature, using a pseudonym would be dishonest.  But in some cases, it's with merit.

I'm the originator the question and I'm still mulling it over.  I appreciate all the thoughtful responses.  Have a good day.