by Nat Hentoff ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 1988
John O'Connor's first four years as the Archbishop of N.Y.C. have often engulfed him in contention and controversy. He says he is in awe of the city he serves, and his wonder is bound to increase with the publication of this remarkable biography by one of the town's most staunchly liberal Jewish writers. Hentoff (Does Anybody Give a Damn?, 1977; Boston Boy, 1986; etc.), a regular contributor to the Village Voice, spent two years with the Cardinal. When he introduces himself at their first interview as a member of the "Proud and Ancient Order of Stiff-Necked Jewish Atheists," we know his evident respect and steadily growing admiration for O'Connor do not come automatically. Hentoff chronicles O'Connor's career from his days as a parish priest in Philadelphia through his long military service—an experience that later earned him the reputation as the "Genghis Khan" of the 1981 bishops' committee on nuclear disarmament. O'Connor has created headline's in New York from the day he arrived—scolding Jewish leaders for their attacks on him after his trip to the Middle East, arguing with Catholics Cuomo and Ferraro about their stands on abortion, angering homosexuals with his opposition to New York's Gay Rights Bill; Hentoff examines in depth the Cardinal's consistent position as theologically orthodox and socially liberal. O'Connor emerges here as a strong, compassionate, and deeply searching man who is at the center of the anguishing issues facing American Catholics today, deeply disturbed by the centrifugal forces at play in the wake of Vatican II. Hentoff quotes one observer who feels that O'Connor "has a good shot at being the first American Pope." Mean-while, Hentoffs brilliant and engrossing portrait will surprise many liberal Catholics—and provoke many others into a reassessment of the man and his message.
Pub Date: July 1, 1988
ISBN: 0684189445
Page Count: 330
Publisher: Scribner
Review Posted Online: April 3, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1988
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by Nat Hentoff
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by Albert Camus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 26, 1955
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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by Albert Camus ; translated by Justin O'Brien & Sandra Smith
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by Albert Camus ; translated by Ellen Conroy Kennedy & Justin O'Brien
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by Albert Camus translated by Arthur Goldhammer edited by Alice Kaplan
by Timothy Paul Jones ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2005
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
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