Pope Benedict XVI: Servant of the Truth

As other reviewers have noted. this is a spectacularly beautiful book, filled with colored photographs that are both reverent and exquisite. It is also the story of the life of Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI. We meet him as the theologian who has been called the most erudite and intellectual pope in centuries and at the same time as a humble man faced with the overwhelming task of succeeding John Paul II. I believe he has done very well at that. We learn about his dream of retiring to a quiet life in the country with his brother Georg, also a priest, and spending his last years studying and writing, a dream that ended when God chose him to be Pope. We learn about the papal housekeeper, a professor of music who took over her duties when Cardinal Ratzinger's sister Maria died, and we learn little-known facts about Benedict as a person, such as his love for cats. The Pope is presented as a holy man, a brilliant man, and a very human man. If some people had concerns when he became Pope, this book will dispel them. I feel fortunate to be a member of a Church that has Benedict as its leader.

This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever owned. To open it and see the art work alone makes it worth $100.00. I would have have paid that much for a copy. Instead I have purchased this for friends for a fraction of that and won their thanks forevermore.The words in the book, words of our Pope Benedict XVI, are beautiful. It seems that every word from this man's heart and mouth are straight from the heart of God. Do buy it and give it to everyone who loves this Pope -- and even some who don't -- yet.

This is a large and heavy book. Should have cost me more for shipping. It arrived as expected and in better condition than expected.

This is a great well put together book, greatly illustratedwith photos and gives a great insight into this noble Pope.Excellent binding.

While I am not Roman Catholic, I have a deep appreciation and respect for the office of the Papacy as one of the main voices of Christianity in the world, a world (in the West at least) increasingly hostile to traditional concepts of human rights (based in the Judeo-Christian tradition) and the relevance of the questions that the Faith addresses. So from that perspective I opened this book. I am glad I did. It has confirmed my love of the papacy as an office for the good of the Church and the world.It is not only lavishly illustrated, making it a pleasure to browse through, but it is a detailed (and sympathetic) biography of Joseph Ratzinger that leaves me with the impression of a man with both amazing intellectual capabilities and a deep and mature love of God and humanity, perfectly fit to be Pope. From his Bavarian youth, anti-Nazi upbringing (and the sacrifices and suffering that this entailed), ordination with his beloved brother, to his rise to cardinal and Pope, this book feels like a family photo album.I read it in one sitting in the afternoon a few weeks ago and have gone back to it a few times since; a real pleasure to read and an inspiration to follow my Christian convictions wherever they lead.

This glorious coffee-table photo-biography of Pope Benedict is a wonderful,unique combo volume - some 150 striking photos of the Pope's life from his boyhood thru the first year of his papacy, and really excellent commentary on the life & impact of Benedict/Ratzinger by Peter Seewald. As the book blurb says, Seewald wrote those two popular book-length interviews of Cardinal Ratzinger (SALT OF THE EARTH, GOD AND THE WORLD) which dramatically changed Seewald's own life, bringing him back to the practice of his Catholicism after having fallen away for many years. So Seewald knows this man so well, and he is such a good writer, that his fine writing & insights on the various stages of the Pope's life are a great complement to the amazing photos in this keepsake of a book. It is the ideal Christmas gift book!

Informative about our new Pope. One picture is worth a thousand words! I leave it out on our coffee-table for all to see. I consider it a treasure to have ammong my books! It is well done!