An approachable, worthwhile history of a venerable Catholic brotherhood.
A richly illustrated and entertaining history of the Knights of Columbus.
Andrew Walther, the Knights’ vice president for communications and strategic planning, and Maureen Walther, who worked for the CEO for 10 years, begin with an overview of anti-Catholic sentiments in the United States, which led to Father Michael Joseph McGivney’s founding of an organization of Catholic men in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882. The group eventually became the Knights of Columbus, taking as its namesake Christopher Columbus and focusing on such concepts as charity, fraternity, and patriotism. The authors explain that the Knights expanded quickly and acted as a major force for Catholic pride and unity in the face of bigoted actions by the Ku Klux Klan and anti-Catholic voices in society at large. The Knights took an active role in serving the military during World War I and in fighting poverty during the Great Depression, cementing their place in American society. As the Walthers guide readers through the religiously active 1950s and ’60s, the challenges to religious life of the later 20th century, and the global perspective of recent years, they focus not only on the inner workings of the Knights and their mission, but also on their interaction with the wider church and society, including popes and presidents. The authors enrich the flow of text with countless photos, a number of inset sidebars, and a series of “Notable Knight” minibiographies, including such diverse individuals as Babe Ruth and Sargent Shriver. A running timeline at the bottom of most pages reminds readers of the broader historical backdrop of the Knights’ story. Though far from a critical account, this history does its primary job well: introducing lay readers to the Knights and providing devotees with an informative resource for casual browsing or more serious study.
An approachable, worthwhile history of a venerable Catholic brotherhood.Pub Date: March 9, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7570-0308-0
Page Count: 296
Publisher: Square One Publishers
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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