Lives of The Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II
Reviewing 262 popes, McBrien (theology, Univ. of Notre Dame) expands the sketches in his Encyclopedia of Catholicism (LJ 6/1/95) and provides broad historical and theological contexts for each profile, relying on the many-editioned Liber Pontificalis and The Oxford Dictionary of Popes (1986), as well as other scholarly works. McBrien addresses the nonspecialist reader and groups his entries into eight historical periods with distinctive theological and pastoral interpretations. His approach is down to earth and critical, distinguishing pious legend from known fact. The well-written sketches vary from a paragraph to several pages, ranging from Peter to John Paul II. Supplementary appendixes and tables enhance the book for reference as well as circulating use. Recommended for academic and public libraries. [Note: Eamon Duffy's Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes (Yale Univ.) and Peter Maxwell-Stuart's Chronicle of the Popes (Thames & Hudson) are also due in November.]?Anna M. Donnelly, St. John's Univ. Lib., N.Y.-?Anna M. Donnelly, St. John's Univ. Lib., N.Y.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.