Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II

I should begin the review by mentioning my 'bias': I admire the figure of John Paul II, as a Pope (I'm not a Catholic, anyway), as a global figure, and as a leader. This biography, while not complete (because there's a second part of the biography), provides a very excellent and ambitious biography of one of the most defining figures in the 20th century.Weigel tells the story in a very chronological way (instead of thematic, an approach which partially chronological yet does not focus on the chronology, but on the defining themes of the figure's life). For historical buffs, the format will be easy to follow. The stories are pretty detailed, providing many insights that often unknown to the public. The story is pretty much enchanting and inviting. Readers who want to discover more of the Pope will find this satisfactory. In fact, from some 10+ biographies of the same Pope that I've read, this is clearly the best and most detailed, hands down.There are a number of concerns, however, which may be minor to most readers. Firstly is the thick theological perspective. This is clearly a no-surprise, since what else would you expect from a religious figure such as the Pope? However, a layman (and non-Catholic) like me will find this a bit tedious to follow. It does provide a lot of insights to the Catholic belief, yet understanding what is written is another issue. To make it clear, not that it is bad, only somehow tedious. Secondly, I consider this biography to be a bit apologetic to the Pope, which rarely mentions the downside/other side of the Pope (not only as a Pope, but as a human being). Attempts to make a biography that covers both sides usually requires both opinions from supporters and opponents. I don't see this adequately within the biography. Thirdly, I don't see adequate details for a book that long. I take part of the blame since I've read numerous biographies (and watched numerous movies) regarding this figure, there are some expectations in terms of 'what's next'. Sometimes, I think it doesn't adequately fulfill my expectation, in terms of details of story. For instance, I was expecting more when reading about the Pope's first visit to his native homeland, Poland. The story, however, while providing new insights not provided in other book, is not put into a detailed perspective that I expected (e.g. a coverage on the mass in Warsaw, how the Polish authorities debated about the visit, or the alleged quote "better Solzhenitsyn to be the Secretary-general of the United Nations than a Pole becomes pope").Regardless, I find this biography to be the best, and probably 'the most authoritative' biography of Pope John Paul II; and this put the competitors way behind in terms of biographical work. The above concerns may not matter at all for some readers, yet it does not decrease the quality of this book as a very ambitious work to elaborate the story of one of the most prominent figures of our lifetime.Note: I purchased the Kindle version, and formatting wise, I find some technical problems in rendering letters with accents and marks, which are rendered as boxes. Kindle users may want to take this as an extra note.

This man has lived a life of love. He has taught us so much on how to love. How love starts in the home. Theology of the Body is one of my favorite teachings.

I'm a devotee of biographies and wanted to know more about John Paul ll after reading a favorable article about him in the WSJ. I'm not a Catholic and frankly was uninterested in learning anything more about the Catholic church. I just simply had read through most of my backlog and was looking for another biography. My first impression was 'What have I gotten myself into -- the darn book is 1000 pages long!'But I try to finish things I start, so I dug into the book. After two months I'm nearly 700 pages into it and I'm so happy I did. It's not only the story of a truly remarkable person, but it's a terrific history of the significant events of our time, from life under the Nazi occupation of Poland, to what turned out to be nearly as bad with the Communist takeover of Poland after WWll, to the fall of the USSR, to liberation theology in Europe and Central America, to terrorism in Italy and Africa and discussions about John Paul's perspectives on capitalism vs. socialism. I've gleaned so much knowledge which gives me insight as I experience the events of the present day.I thought that a 1,000 page book ought not be bound as a single volume -- that it would certainly fall apart. A happy surprise has been just how well bound the book is -- maybe the best bound book I've ever read. This is not a concern.

I bought a used-like new book as described by seller. And it was absolutely perfect. The book was as described for certain. It was packed safely and arrived a day earlier than i expected!

I did not expect to find Weigel on the Pope so engrossing. I decided to buy it because I have come to realize just how significant a figure in both Christian and world affairs the Pope has been. Karol Wojtyla's biography has inspired me to look beyond the present. As I read I realized how deeply I had misunderstood the Pope. There is little doubt that he is one of the greatest figures of our time. Some of my misconceptions of John Paul were due to my own personal discomfort as an Anglican with various facets of Roman Catholicism. However, our own limited perceptions should not distort our recognition of greatness.Just as I brought my own preconceptions to the man, so have the media who have been covering him since that day in 1978 when he was elected. The press have distorted this man because they have read him through glasses tinted by their own secular conditioning. As a result there is a "good" John Paul who affirms some of their social agendas, and then there is the "bad" John Paul, who seems not to understand their progressive preferences. Weigel makes it clear that they have profoundly misunderstood him because will not measure him on his own Christian terms.To grasp the significance of John Paul, we need to come to terms with the complexities of his personality and his origins in a family beset by tragedy in his early years. But that is not enough. From there we need to explore his own personal Christian journey, his theological formation, his philosophical studies, and the tough environment in which he grew to adulthood and exercised the first 30 years of his ministry. Furthermore, this man who cannot be understood unless we see him first and foremost as a priest, a pastor, and a man of mystical prayer. "The sheer drama of Karol Wojtyla's life would defy the imagination of the most fanciful screenwriter," says Weigel.The Poland in which Wojtyla grew up briefly emerged from Nazi tyranny, only to be swept into the Russian sphere of influence and be subjected to a different kind of totalitarian repression as a result of the unfortunate dealings at Yalta. In the brief twilight between these two oppressions, he was ordained and sent to Rome to study. If we are to understand the Pope's perception of world affairs, we have to realize the significant part Yalta plays in his grasp of global realities.An actor, playwright, priest, philosopher, pastor, and athlete, John Paul II seems almost too good to be true. "Given the expectations of contemporary biography, a writer almost regrets the absence of detractors and critics of his subject. Perhaps even more striking is the fact that Karol Woytyla's intelligence, creativity, and pastoral success did not attract clerical jealousies... He lived a singularly integrated priestly and personal life."The opening 250 pages focus on Wojtyla's life prior to the papacy. The remainder deals life since. In the years before his election, Wojtyla had become a major player in world Catholicism, having been appointed Archbishop of Krakow and then a cardinal at an exceedingly early age. Only after he was installed as archbishop did the authorities realize the sort of man they were up against. What they seemed not to have understood is that Wojtyla's approach was not direct confrontation of authorities who only seemed to understand the language of power, but the longer term task of undermining them through Christian "cultural resistance." He was not going to roll over and play dead before his oppressors, but would gradually pull the rug out from beneath their credibility, revealing their spiritual, moral, social, political, and cultural bankruptcy.Because of his Polish heritage in a country trapped between totalitarian Germany and Russia, the Pope has had a lifelong passion for human freedom. His two doctorates in philosophy were built around this topic, and it has been the subject of his most significant pronouncements. However, he is misunderstood if interpreted through the lenses of secular liberalism. His perception of freedom is that ultimately it is focused in obedience and self-giving to the One who died upon the Cross.In the middle is a chapter entitled "In the Eye of the Storm." It is pivotal. The honeymoon was over, and the principalities and powers were out to neutralize his papacy. His approach had literally put him in the eye of political, social, and theological storms. This chapter deals with his response to and encouragement of the Gdansk shipyard strike in August 1980, and the rise of Solidarity in Poland. His affirmation of such activities put him on a collision course with the Soviet empire, and led to the unsuccessful assassination attempt of 1981. Weigel suggests that his constant challenge eroded the ability of an undemocratic Communism to survive. The Pope was a catalyst for world-shattering change. While all this was going on, the Pope was proceeding against what he perceived to be error within the church. It would seem that the policies he had outlined in the first years of his primacy were now taking on a shape and form that would have a profound impact upon the future -- these were an affirmation of human dignity, a passion for prayer and truth, the yearning for unity among Christians and peoples, and the evangelization of the world.His concern for evangelization is a key component of this man. He believes that for a human being to be truly free and whole, that person must surrender to the One who died for us. The Pope's faith is utterly Christ and Cross centered. He sees mission, unity, and truth belonging together, and that if truth or unity are compromised then mission suffers. Put simply, John Paul wants the world to know the good news about Jesus Christ that has led him throughout his own life to be utterly self-surrendering in order that the one to whom he surrenders may have the whole of him. This book is a winner.

The most Pope-r-ific Pope of all time.

O maior estadista do século XX.Um dos grandes Santos da história.Trouxe a Igreja Católica de volta aos trilhos depois do Concílio Vaticano II.Comunicou que a santidade está ao alcance de todos.

This is an excellent biography of Saint John Paul II that gives a deep and concise insight into the life of the Saint, in the context of the world's history of his time.The book simply and clearly summarizes his writings while giving the best quotations.There are more than 1000 pages in the book, but even a lazy reader may enjoy every line of the text. Note that 25% of the book are citations and endnotes.

Great book on Saint John Paul II all the info you need to know and more.

Story is not just about JPII but every who was part of his life. A testament of our faith, church and community.- Well written and easy to approach- Just enough detail without getting too lost- Starts at the very beginning- Great history and background information to better understand JPII's environmentA great read!

Very good book on the biography of Saint John Paul.