The Rise of Benedict XVI - by John L Allen (Paperback)

About the Book

"Commendable and balanced . . . With crisp writing and an amazing attention to detail, Allen brings readers inside the papal jockeying, covering the days of mourning and the conclave."--"The Los Angeles Times."

Book Synopsis

"Commendable and balanced . . . With crisp writing and an amazing attention to detail, Allen brings readers inside the papal jockeying, covering the days of mourning and the conclave." --The Los Angeles Times

"A welcome contribution to understanding the new pontificate . . . The Rise of Benedict XVI is a useful chronicle that packs a lot into relatively few pages."
--Richard John Neuhaus, First Things

"For a current look at the new papacy, Allen is the person to read. He is fair, free from the oracular pomposity of some American commentators, and, as always, highly readable." --Commonweal

"The Rise of Benedict XVI . . . covers the subject thoroughly and thoughtfully. In smooth, readable prose devoid of polemics, he outlines competing expectations and explains the strengths and weaknesses of each." --San Antonio Express-News

"A worthwhile contribution to understanding why Rome has its first German pope in 800 years." --The Washington Post

On April 18, 2005, the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church gathered to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II. Faced with several potential candidates, the cardinals made a bold choice, entrusting the Keys of the Kingdom to 78-year-old Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, a man whose views on the challenges facing the Church and the broader culture could not be more unambiguous, or controversial. Questions arose as the world watched while Ratzinger was installed as Pope Benedict XVI. No one can tell the story of exactly what took place during the closed doors meeting, known as the conclave, when Cardinals from around the world cast their votes for the next pope, better than John L. Allen, Jr. As a correspondent for National Catholic Reporter and a Vatican analyst for CNN and National Public Radio, Allen has spent years covering Vatican politics and personalities, and his unique access to Roman halls of power has enabled him to write the ultimate behind-the-scenes account of the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

Review Quotes

Praise for John L. Allen, Jr.'s, Conclave

"An invaluable primer . . . highly informative." --Washington Post

"Definitely a winner." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

"It's surprising how much you learn from this book . . . [Allen] explain[s] the process in an engaging way, and offers history, context and his own list of front-runners." --Arizona Republic

Praise for John L. Allen, Jr.'s, All the Pope's Men

"[A] superb book" --Chicago Sun-Times

"The National Catholic Reporter's Vatican correspondent John L. Allen, Jr., unpacks several popular myths as well as the psychology, sociology, and theology that inform the Holy See's worldview. But All the Pope's Men is not a polemic. It's a patient look at Vatican ways of thinking and acting." --San Antonio Express-News

"An exceedingly valuable book." --Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, First Things

"By turns enlightening and highly amusing, the book deserves a wide readership."
--America

" . . . this dispassionate book is the best written about the Vatican in a long time and belongs on the desk of every editor and religion writer in the English-speaking world."
--Andrew Greeley, National Catholic Reporter

"An informative and readable look at Vatican structures, policies, and personalities . . . filled with useful data and engaging anecdotes." --Crisis Magazine

About the Author

JOHN L. ALLEN, JR., is the Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and a Vatican analyst for CNN and National Public Radio. His weekly Internet column, "The Word from Rome," is widely considered the best source of insights into Vatican affairs in the English language. He is the author of Conclave, All the Pope's Men, and the forthcoming Opus Dei. He and his wife Shannon live in Rome.