THE PONTIFF IN WINTER Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II

Both writing and narration bring a studied elegance to this biography of Pope John Paul II. Cornwell summarizes the Pope’s youth and early priesthood in the first two of twelve hours and then spends the remaining ten discussing John Paul’s papacy and philosophy of life. Narrator John Lee has no trouble with the book’s formal language and brings freshness and respect to a weighty treatise. His slight British tone conveys erudition, while his vitality imparts both the criticism and admiration of the author for his subject. While this reviewer would likely have a hard time sitting still long enough to absorb the written text, the audio version proves riveting. R.L.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]