Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
Pope John XXIII was one of the most beloved religious representatives in the 20th century. Why? What made him such a popular individual with the lay people of the Catholic Church? What background shaped this caretaker Pope, originally expected to do little while holding the seat warm until the next election?
The Good Pope: John XXIII & Vatican II by Greg Tobin is a good look at the life of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, a son of peasant farmers who entered the priesthood, served in various capacities, and rose to the highest position in the Roman Catholic Church. This last sentence actually summarizes the book quite distinctly and delineates the major aspects of his life and career the things that molded him into the man who would lead the Catholic Church into the 20th century (more than halfway THROUGH that century )
The book is largely written from a secular standpoint for the layman's benefit; it reads much more like a traditional biography than a religious treatise. Of course, it would be impossible to review the life and times of such a man without delving into Christian and Catholic beliefs, but these are done as though from an outsider looking in. Only in the last chapter does the author begin to assume that the reader is one of the faithful, freely utilizing phrases like inspired by the Holy Spirit. I would have expected the book to conclude in the same manner with which the first 95% was written or else expected that first 95% to match the conclusion. This inconsistency does not significantly draw away from the writer's accomplishments.
The Good Pope is a great book for Roman Catholics of all ages, whether you were old enough to remember John XXIII or not - and it's a very good book for those of other faiths, as well.
DISCLOSURE: I won this book in a blogger's contest; no conditions, including even a commitment to write a review, were requested or made in return.
The Good Pope: John XXIII & Vatican II by Greg Tobin is a good look at the life of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, a son of peasant farmers who entered the priesthood, served in various capacities, and rose to the highest position in the Roman Catholic Church. This last sentence actually summarizes the book quite distinctly and delineates the major aspects of his life and career the things that molded him into the man who would lead the Catholic Church into the 20th century (more than halfway THROUGH that century )
The book is largely written from a secular standpoint for the layman's benefit; it reads much more like a traditional biography than a religious treatise. Of course, it would be impossible to review the life and times of such a man without delving into Christian and Catholic beliefs, but these are done as though from an outsider looking in. Only in the last chapter does the author begin to assume that the reader is one of the faithful, freely utilizing phrases like inspired by the Holy Spirit. I would have expected the book to conclude in the same manner with which the first 95% was written or else expected that first 95% to match the conclusion. This inconsistency does not significantly draw away from the writer's accomplishments.
The Good Pope is a great book for Roman Catholics of all ages, whether you were old enough to remember John XXIII or not - and it's a very good book for those of other faiths, as well.
DISCLOSURE: I won this book in a blogger's contest; no conditions, including even a commitment to write a review, were requested or made in return.
