Lives of The Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II

Apparently the author is a dissenter in the catholic church, unbeknowngst to me. I picked this up in Italy to read about all the popes(most of which I knew nothing about). This book, with its short synopsis on each pope is a great read. It also illustrates the marvelous variety of personalities that inherited the throne of peter. From the smiling Pope John Paul I to the warrior pope Julious II. It details the roman persecutions and shows how few popes were killed in the period, details the schisms and also the sexual adventures of the popes. Shows how many popes were murdered, and how many had short periods in power. It also details the papal election process and its developments. A must read for those interested in a history of the Popes without the usual tenderness associated with some publications and the usual wordiness of academics.

This is a well researched, scholarly book which serves both as an excellent read and a reference. With individual sections on each Pope, one can readily locate specific information. It is well evident that the author carefully researched multiple sources (as he claims) and has made every effort to present information as objectively as possible. To those, such as myself, looking for a single authoritative reference on the complete history of the Papacy, this is it.

Let's be honest, if you hate the Papacy and you see nothing good in it you will not like this book because it points to much good on the side of Papacy. If you are a die-hard Catholic who beleives in Papal infallability and all the catholic dogmas, you won't like this book because it also points out bad things that came out of the papacy. If you are neutral on Catholicism, and want't a neutral view of the Lives of Popes throughout history, then this is an excellent book. The author is not affraid to talk about the good and the bad of each individual Pope. It is clearly A very honest overview! The previous reviews I have read were either anti-Catholic or Pro-Catholic. it is nice every now and then to see something objective.

It is so difficult to find easy to use resources on the popes that has a balanced presentation as its objective, I think this book will become a favorite for those who care about this history. Richard McBrien is as good as they get.

This book is the most important among my vast library of papal history books because McBrien includes many facts about the popes that I have only been able to find in obscure books. He lets us know who is favorite and least favorite popes are, but that helps to give a more personal approach to this topic, which is refreshing in that most informational (particularly historical) books tend to be so dry. This is an excellent sourcebook for those interested in papal history and can easily be read from cover to cover without the reader ever getting bored with the text. McBrien is an excellent writer and this is by far the most well-written, interesting, and informative books on the subject of popes that is readily available.