Pope John XXIII: A Penguin Life (Penguin Lives) - Hardcover

Cahill, Thomas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670030570 ISBN 13: 9780670030576

Publisher: Viking Adult, 2002

Synopsis

The author's trademark blend of profound insight and extensive knowledge provides a fascinating history of the Catholic Church and the papacy by focusing on Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli as Pope John XXIII, who awed the world with the seminal and unprecedented change he brought about due to his concern for humankind. 35,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas Cahill, former director of religious publishing at Doubleday, is the bestselling author of the Hinges of History series, which includes How the Irish Saved Civilization, The Gifts of the Jews, and Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus.

Reviews

Cahill uses the same felicitous prose and refreshing approach to history that characterized his bestselling books How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Gifts of the Jews, here offering a short biography of John XXIII, the "people's pope" who initiated the Second Vatican Council. Cahill begins with a brief thumbnail sketch of the papacy, a chapter so replete with memorable details that many readers will hope that Cahill will someday prepare a magnum opus on the subject. He then narrows in on Italian peasant Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (1881-1963), paying particular attention to his schooling in "social Catholicism," or the Church's official and unofficial interventions on issues such as poverty, war and community activism. In his twenties, he served as secretary to a bishop whose modernist leanings incensed the Vatican but deeply impressed the young Roncalli. As he rose through the ecclesiastical ranks, Roncalli managed to navigate a middle course between antimodernist rigidity on one hand and the liberals' tendency to jettison Church traditions on the other. When he was elected pope in 1958, most Catholics assumed he would be a transitional figure, never expecting that he would instigate the most sweeping reforms the Church had seen since the Catholic Reformation from doubling the salaries of Vatican employees to redefining some of the Church's foundational doctrines. Cahill tells Roncalli's story with sincere admiration for the liberal, loving, corpulent pope who did not live to see the completion of Vatican II. (Jan. 14)Forecast: Cahill is a well-established writer, with several previous bestsellers under his belt, so expect strong sales for this biography of the beloved pope. Viking plans a six-city author tour and national publicity, specifically targeting the Catholic market.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Cahill brings to this biography of Pope John XXIII the same scholarship and superb writing evident in his "Hinges of History" series (e.g., Desire of the Everlasting Hills). Part of the popular "Penguin Lives" series, which ranges from Mozart to Marlon Brando, this work does a wonderful job of tracing the life of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli from his humble beginnings in an Italian village to his accession to the papal throne and the subsequent ramifications of Vatican II. Neither a scholar nor a politician, Roncalli inaugurated unprecedented change influencing the lives of Catholics and other Christians throughout the world. Although it was thought that he would be a transitional pope, he followed divine inspiration by inviting bishops, experts, and ecumenical observers from around the world to ponder the needs of humankind with transformative results. Cahill successfully portrays these accomplishments with clarity, respect, and accuracy; Chapter 1 is particularly good at defining the historical milieu out of which the "People's Pope" stepped while demonstrating the continuity of faith in a seemingly new epoch. Highly recommended. John-Leonard Berg, Univ. of Wisconsin, Platteville

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

The bestselling author of How the Irish Saved Civilization (1995) provides a digestible biography of Pope John XXIII, underscoring his critical importance in the evolution of modern Roman Catholic thought and action. Commencing with a brief history of the Catholic Church and the papacy itself, Cahill places Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in proper historical and sociological context. Reviewing the early years of the future pontiff, he analyzes the roots of the humble, relatively obscure cleric who would radically alter the direction of the Catholic Church with the initiation of the Second Vatican Council. Recognizing a need for change and emphasizing social justice issues, Pope John XXIII ushered in an unprecedented era of debate and transformation. This affectionate tribute to one of the most compassionate, influential, and universally beloved religious leaders of the twentieth century will appeal to a wide and varied readership. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Viking Adult
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0670030570
• ISBN 13: 9780670030576
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176