I enjoyed that there were such fascinating details about conversations Pope John Paul II had with people closest to him alongside a rather dramatic conversion that took place in the author as she went from having the attitude of a powerful, self-important journalist to a humble woman of faith awed by the holiness and humility of such an influential man.
The imagery is quite vivid, which I appreciate because it gave the book a literary feel. The quotes and anecdotes blended in a journalistic flavor. The conversion story of the author brought in the emotional appeal which I believe many readers will be able to identify with on some level. There are certainly times in each of our lives when we’re going about our jobs, self-absorbed, and thinking we have our priorities straight when a person or a situation changes our outlook on everything.
John Paul the Great made an impact on many. Noonan couldn’t help but come to admire the holiness, love, and gentleness of a man she originally saw more as another high-profile person to interview.
There are no heavy theological debates or theories discussed in this work. In many ways, it reads like a good novel because of the tone, personal story, anecdotes, and Noonan’s writing style. I’ve found this to be one of the best books to get a feel of what it would have been like to hang out with John Paul the Great, take a walk with him in a garden, talk with him about poetry, or hear him joking with friends.
You can purchase this book here. I wrote this review of John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father for the Tiber River Blogger Review program. Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.
