Posted on 03/15/2006 3:32:15 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
The eminently readable Peggy Noonan, best known as a columnist and contributing editor at The Wall Street Journal has penned an in-depth and fascinating biographical sketch of the late great Pope John Paul II, all in 256 pages. Noonan, the New York Times bestselling author of ‘When Character Was King’, has produced a faithful snapshot of the life and times of the last Pope of the 20th century in a format accessible to the common man who lacks the time to pour over the tens of thousands of pages in tomes detailing John Paul’s heroic story.
In ‘John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father’, Noonan – whose articles and essays have appeared in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more - combines her art at story telling with some very personal faith experiences of her own which were drawn to life by the subject of her book.
I was pleasantly surprised by Noonan’s openness about the depth of her lively faith, a faith which, she says, was rekindled by the spiritual fatherhood of John Paul II. This experiential dimension of the work by an author who has for decades honed her skill at describing her sentiments, draws the reader into the experience, prompting reflection on the personal impact of the Polish Pontiff on the reader himself.
Noonan has extracted some of the most moving and fascinating revelations on John Paul’s life from his various biographers. Naming names and providing just enough information on the intrigues and incidents to satisfy the casual reader and to entice the more interested to further research.
In that light, Noonan’s book is perfect for a Google generation. Those interested in the personages, the scandals, the prophecies, the events, the joys and the sufferings related in the book have the necessary key (words) to unlock the information highway’s secret pathways to the treasured knowledge.
As a celebrated author and a former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, Noonan provides the reader with access to conversations by Catholic, political and even Hollywood leaders with insights on the late Holy Father. The book does not shy away from criticism.
‘John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father’ details some of the many mystical experiences surrounding the late Pope. Those mystical experiences may sometimes be called providential coincidences which are for the faithful treasured reminders of the Hand of God in their lives. And this is where I found myself most impressed by the book.
Many an elevated and public persona of Noonan’s stature would have avoided so personal and revealing an account of deeply held faith and conviction, sharing in all humility spiritual struggles and what she recognizes as Godincidences. But Noonan has laid open her soul. While in doing so she opens herself to ridicule, she at the same time opens to her readers the door to the Supreme Resident who resides in every soul given over to His service. A Resident whom our beloved Pope John Paul served faithfully to the last.
Peggy, you're a gem!
I'm sure this is a really good book, but the first paragraph of the review illustrated one of those word juxtapositions that always gets me. "...doesn't have time
to POUR all over..." Please tell us what we're supposed to
pour all over these books. That will probably make it hard to pore over their words for meaning.
Peggy is just aces. I bought her book as a gift at Christmas and I think I'll be buying it again as a gift for someone again.
Bump for John Paul II
John-Henry Westen is notable for Homophonia, Comma Chaos, and modifiers dangling all over the landscape. I've offered to copyedit for him, but he didn't repond.
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