From Publishers Weekly
Greeley’s irrepressible and fiercely liberal O’Malley family carries on lustily in this sixth chronicle of their adventures. Charles (usually Chuck, often Chucky, and even Chucky Ducky, none of which names he objects to) is a former foreign ambassador under Jack Kennedy, a Ph.D. in economics and a world-famous photographer. Rosemarie, his wife, is a recovered alcoholic, now a successful New Yorker writer, but more important to her, a mom and grandma. Trading chapters, they describe their busy life in Rome in the late 1970s, where Chuck’s role is to photograph the new pope. In 1978, there were three popes: Paul VI died; his successor, John Paul I, also expired, after only a brief period; and John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in centuries, was elected. Greeley’s knowledge of the intrigues and suspense behind the elections produces a graphic firsthand account (he is the author of the nonfiction book The Making of the Popes 1978). After the election, Chuck’s career as a photographer (he refers to himself modestly as a "fast-talking punk from the West Side of Chicago who takes pictures") comes to the fore, as the Art Institute gives him a major show. The show is a success (despite—or because of—the scandal caused by an innocently revealing photo of Rosemarie), but Chuck is assailed by self-doubt, then nearly dies of pneumonia. In a sentimental but poignant scene, a serene, perhaps heavenly lady visits Chuck and reassures him that he is a good man. This is more comfort food for Catholics, though newcomers to the series may be taken aback by Chuck and Rosemarie’s mildly explicit lovemaking.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Greeley, a Roman Catholic priest, is also one of this country's most popular writers of light-romance novels. His books are usually sagas, each one detailing the lives of one or another of the fictional Irish American families that Greeley's fans have come to know and love. In his current series, he chronicles the O'Malleys of Chicago, an irrepressible Irish American clan. Previous novels in the O'Malley saga follow the family from World War II through the 1960; in this installation, Charles "Chucky" O'Malley and his spirited family face the 1970s. Here we find Chucky approaching 50 and stuck in a vicious midlife and spiritual crisis. While O'Malley can count his blessings--an adoring wife, an amazing sex life, a prestigious career, and a large, happy family--he still feels unfulfilled. In addition, he is no longer able to take comfort in his faith. As a photographer of some importance, O'Malley travels the world snapping historical photos and searching for his own happiness. However, it is in his loving family and his devoted wife that he ultimately finds what he has been looking for. In typical Greeley style, this novel is a bit on the corny side; however he has many fans who consume his novels like candy. Kathleen Hughes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
