Was looking around on CI that had something like this, but could only find similar ones that recommended one book or perhaps two at the same time. I think a never-needing list of books would be insightful for so many. 

Go ahead and share pre-vatican II books that have really changed your life! If you have read an orthodox book even after Vatican II, do share!  

I’ll name a few: all of the books of Frs. Faber and Lasance, Divine Intimacy, In Defense of Purity by Dietrich von Hildebrand, the Complete Works of St. John of the Cross. 

And then of course, there’s the two parts of Modern Saints by Ann Ball, The Incorruptibles and Eucharistic miracles by Joan Carroll Cruz, and the list goes on! 

The Ways of Mental Prayer
Abbott Vitalis Lehody, OCR

ETA: Cultivating Virtue
(Tan books title)

I’ll name a few: all of the books of Frs. Faber and Lasance, Divine Intimacy, In Defense of Purity by Dietrich von Hildebrand, the Complete Works of St. John of the Cross.

I have my grandmother's copy of With God by Fr Lasance. The meditations he offers for The Eucharist Rosary are golden !

Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence is a game changer!!

There's a lot that come to mind, but I'll limit myself here.

My top 5:

• 1. Imitation of the Sacred Heart by Rev. Peter J. Arnoudt
• 2. The Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross
• 3. The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite by Rev. John Parker
• 4. The Preparation for Death by St. Alphonsus Liguori
• 5. Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence by Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and Bl. Claude de la Colombiere

Special mentions:

• -The Confessions, De Civitate Dei and De Trinitate by St. Augustine
• -Itinerarium Mentis in Dei by St. Bonaventure
• -Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles by St. Thomas Aquinas
• -The Mystical City of God by Ven. Maria de Agreda
• -The Life of Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque by Msgr. Bougaud
• -The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
• -Sermons for all Sundays of the Year, History of Heresies and Uniformity with God's Will by St. Alphonsus Liguori

Wow what a beautiful list of books! I have yet to read Mystical City of God, and the Divine Comedy is such a masterpiece. 

• • Story of a Soul - St. Therese of Lisieux
  • The Third Spiritual Alphabet - Franciso De Osuna (Peers translation if you find it)
  • Ascent of Mt. Carmel - St. John of the Cross (Really his complete works)
  • Imitation of Christ - Thomas a Kempis
  • Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis, caveat: I only recommend this book because I grew up in the NO knowing nothing about the faith and this book was instrumental in my reversion in understanding who exactly Christ is and why be Christian. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone now, but it helped me tremendously a long time ago.
  • I Want To See God - P. M. Eugene O.C.D.

There are so many more I could list since I've read so many books, but those have been the most impactful for me personally.

If you're up to it, go for the unabridged version of Mystical City. It's a huge time commitment but utterly worth it. I try, and fail, to re-read it each year lol

I’ll definitely look into it but I might fail, too! Thanks for the suggestion 

• • Story of a Soul - St. Therese of Lisieux
  • The Third Spiritual Alphabet - Franciso De Osuna (Peers translation if you find it)
  • Ascent of Mt. Carmel - St. John of the Cross (Really his complete works)
  • Imitation of Christ - Thomas a Kempis
  • Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis, caveat: I only recommend this book because I grew up in the NO knowing nothing about the faith and this book was instrumental in my reversion in understanding who exactly Christ is and why be Christian. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone now, but it helped me tremendously a long time ago.
  • I Want To See God - P. M. Eugene O.C.D.

There are so many more I could list since I've read so many books, but those have been the most impactful for me personally.

I have read the works of C.S. Lewis during my time in literature classes over the years. The Screwtape Letters is brilliant. 

Fr. Faber, Fr. Stedman, Fr. Ferey are from the Confraternity of the Precious Blood Society are in those small black /red handbooks. My great-great uncle was ordained in 1907 to this mission group, from St. Charles seminary in Carthegena Ohio.  Their founder was St. Gaspar de Buffalo died early 1800's and helped Pius VII to convert robbers, thugs, murderers after the time of Napoleon.  Pius X made him Blessed, and Pius XII canonized him.