Here's a letter recently sent by a friend of the Latin Mass Network to some newcomers to the Traditional Mass. It may be of interest to visitors of this website.
You want a crash course on Traditionalism, eh? That's a tall order. There are so many good authors to read and much history to unravel. Additionally, there is the issue of defining Traditionalism. You'll get so many opinions and even factions. My definition is "undiluted Catholicism," to believe as the Saints believed and to try to pray as they prayed. So, the first thing I'd recommend, and most highly recommend, is to pray the Rosary every day as a family, 5 decades a day. Not enough can be said about this, and I won't even begin to try.
The Church is in the midst of a terrible chastisement from the good God because her children have preferred the world to Him. This traces back to the Protestant revolt, and has reached the point where the Church has been infiltrated, and her enemies now occupy her highest offices.
To get a clear picture of the enemy's progress, I highly recommend reading encyclicals from Popes Pius IX, Leo XIII, and St. Pius X. I'd start with Vatican I, and here's a link to a good translation: (Daily Catholic link). (Daily Catholic seems to be a good site, but I can't vouch that it's 100% clean. I've found their translations to be good because they come from early approved sources, and thus haven't been tampered with.) Vatican I lays out the clearest definitions of the true Faith and Tradition, in direct contrast to the liberalism that was hammering the Church 140 years ago. It also provides the strongest defense and definition of the papacy, something that many so-called traditionalists need to read and re-read today, especially the "sedevacantists."
When you're up for digging deeply into the errors of the 20th century, look up "Pascendi" from Pope St. Pius X (on the doctrine of the Modernists). This great pope will one day be vindicated and honored in the highest for his work. There'd be no visible traditional movement today had not St. Pius X given us such firm ground and armament as he did. Likewise Ven. Pius IX. The wave would have washed us all into Hell.
But before you get too deep into the great popes, here's a brilliant and easy-to-read defense of the doctrine "No Salvation Outside the Catholic Church." The book is Gate of Heaven by Sr. Catherine Clarke from the original St. Benedict Center. I'd recommend getting the book at the gift shop, along with Bread of Heaven by Fr. Feeney. The point of reading this is threefold. First, the doctrine undergirds all the doctrines of the Church. Second, you'll see how heresy abounded in the Church in 1951, well before Vatican II. Third, this is what the Brothers and Sisters are all about, and third-order types like me. You should have a clear picture of the community that has earned your favor. Chapter 1 of Gate of Heaven is found here. (The site catholicism.org is run by St. Benedict Center in NH.)
I see you have the Roman Catechism (Trent) which is the finest reference book on our Faith. You have Denzinger, which is also a good reference. But if you have the 1954 version, or more recent, watch out. The translations are a bit strained, deliberately, I suspect, to obscure the truth and / or the impact of the words. The 1954 edition is "revised by Karl Rahner, S.J."; you might recognize the name of this notorious arch-heretic. So beware. Try to get books published before 1900; Tan has many good reprints of such old books.
God bless you. Feel free to ask lots of questions. I hope I can find you the right answers.
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