Amazon.com Review
John Paul II has made greater strides toward understanding and atoning for Rome's complicity in anti-Semitism than any other pope in history. The Hidden Pope shows how and why this rapprochement is taking place by telling the story of John Paul's lifelong friendship with Jerzy Kluger, a Polish Jew. The text is a fascinating and detailed depiction of John Paul's personal life, but the book's real significance lies in its frank demonstration of the way Karol Wojtyla brings his personal experience to bear on the eternal truths of Catholic theology.
From Publishers Weekly
The lifelong friendship of two men, one the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, the other a virtually unknown Polish engineer, makes for a remarkable saga in the expert hands of O'Brien (winner of the 1997 Edgar for Best Fact Crime book for Power to Hurt). O'Brien's muscular prose adds vigor to a fascinating personal tale played out against the great moments of modern European history. Beginning with John Paul II's election to the papacy in 1978, the narrative recalls the near-idyllic boyhoods of the two principals, known then as Lolek (the future pope) and Jurek. Cast as a parallel biography, the book depicts the future pope as a gifted student, at once playful yet conscious of deeper meanings to reality. His best friend, less scholarly but also a vibrant spirit, is an equally compelling character. O'Brien explains that Kluger lost his entire family in the Holocaust and was imprisoned for years in Stalinist labor camps. Through all the drama, the two men maintained contact, and their friendship has continued into their old age. O'Brien discloses how the friends' relationship has affected events on the world stage, especially the Vatican's recognition of the state of Israel. Anyone intrigued by the often surprising confluences of history, politics and religion will relish this impressive study in faith, friendship and mutual respect. 25 photos, not seen by PW. 250,000 first printing; $250,000 ad/promo.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
