Daniel Fitzpatrick ’09 recently published not one, but two new books. Fitzpatrick, an English teacher and moderator of both the Blue Jay Annual yearbook and Jesuit’s National Honor Society chapter, has previously authored and translated several other major works including a complete and unabridged translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Yonder in the Sun (En Route Books)

Fitzpatrick’s first poetry collection assembles previously published poems alongside new work. The title, drawn from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, reflects the book’s exploration of themes such as love and death, the divine and the earthly, and the grotesque and the beautiful. He began writing poetry as a student at Jesuit, inspired by his English III Honors teacher, Jeff Wilson. Fitzpatrick now teaches the same course while continuing to deepen his own appreciation for poetry. The work is available for purchase here.

Restoring the Lord’s Day

Fitzpatrick’s second recently published book, a novel, examines the decline of Sabbath rest in contemporary society—and how a return to this tradition can serve as a source of rejuvenation. It critiques modernity and invites readers to realign their lives with the liturgical reality, emphasizing that we cannot fully realize our potential unless we reclaim the beauty and tranquility of the Lord’s Day.

James Matthew Wilson, Cullen Foundation Chair in English Literature and the founding director of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Saint Thomas, describes the book as a “marvelous essay” that renews Josef Pieper’s call to restore a true vision of human nature through leisure, stillness, and contemplation.

Readers can find the book available for purchase here.

Fitzpatrick is also a member of the St. Louis IX Art Society, and in celebration of National Poetry Month he will host a poetry reading on Jesuit’s campus on April 30, from 6:30–8 p.m. in St. Ignatius Hall. He will be joined by local poets for readings and a panel discussion. Signed copies of Yonder in the Sun will be available.

Additionally, Fitzpatrick will host a lecture and book signing for Restoring the Lord’s Day on May 2 at 6:30 p.m. in St. Ignatius Hall.

Amid a busy second semester of the school year and this eventful time as an author, Fitzpatrick and his wife, Grace, also welcomed their fourth child in March.