How to Be a Saint - by Kate Sidley (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The ideal book for anyone who likes their comedy with a side of history and a dash of sacrilege, HOW TO BE A SAINT dives into the wild stories of saints and the bizarrely bureaucratic process of canonization in order to help readers get their halos"--

Book Synopsis

Part history lesson. Part sacrilege. An entirely good time.

Think you have what it takes to be a saint? Lucky for you, thousands of souls have paved the way to heaven--creating a clear formula for getting the job done while also leaving a rich, disturbing history behind them. And in just five easy-ish steps, you can learn how to secure your own halo!

But even if the whole "dying and becoming a saint" thing doesn't appeal to you, the bizarrely bureaucratic process of canonization is still guaranteed to delight and entertain. How to Be Saint is a compulsively readable and endlessly entertaining ride through Catholicism for anyone who enjoys their history with a side of comedy. From flying friars to severed heads, this book explores the wild lives (and deaths) of saints and pulls the curtain back on the oddest quirks of religious doctrine.

Whether you're a lifelong Catholic or a weird-history enthusiast, How to Be a Saint is your ultimate guide to understanding the hilarious, fascinating, and shockingly true history of sainthood.

Review Quotes

"Granular, informative, and sometimes bizarre . . . Readers will enjoy themselves." -- Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

"You'll learn a lot but will probably laugh even more." -- Booklist

"Hilarious! This is, without a doubt, the most important book in Christianity." -- Felipe Torres Medina, author of America, Let Me In: A Choose Your Immigration Story

"If you are aspiring towards canonization, Kate Sidley's How To Be A Saint is the one book you must read. The second is probably the Bible, but it isn't as funny. Sidley mines the humor found in theology, as she covers everything from the heroic virtues to different kinds of halos. This is a work that is sure to appeal to both the devout and those who definitely at least intend to go to church on Christmas and Easter." -- Jennifer Wright, author of Glitz, Glam and a Damn Good TIme: How Mamie Fish, Queen of the Gilded Age, Partied Her Way To Power

"How to Be a Saint is a divinely funny and surprisingly informative exploration of how the Saints became Saints... and how you can, too. Kate Sidley brings the humor of a tenured late-night comedy writer and the repression of a lifelong Catholic to this consecrated guide for anyone interested in the cheat codes to Heaven.... If you want to piss the Devil off, buy this book!

-- Nicole Conlan, writer, The Daily Show

"How to Be a Saint is a smart, funny, and delightfully weird deep dive into Catholicism. Plus, I'm pretty sure reading it gets you into Heaven."" -- Kristen Bartlett, writer, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and Saturday Night Live

"I laughed so hard, but I also learned so much? Kate Sidley is a brilliant writer!" -- Jo Firestone, head writer and co-executive producer, After Midnight

"Kate Sidley is one of the sharpest, funniest people I've ever been lucky enough to know and this book somehow manages to be as sharp and funny as she is. Weird. Thanks to Kate from a fellow Catholic for all the laughs and for the very helpful advice on how to get past heaven's airtight security system." -- Brian Stack, writer, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Late Night with Conan O'Brien

About the Author

Kate Sidley is a comedy writer and performer originally from Cleveland, Ohio. She writes for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and her work can be seen in the New Yorker, McSweeney's, and Reductress. Kate has multiple Emmy-nominations, a Peabody Award, a Writers Guild Award and, thanks to her years of Catholic school, a visceral aversion to plaid wool skirts. She lives in New York with her husband, Joe, and their two awesome kids.