Sean

another atheist myth

Revisado: 11-08-22

author consistently contradicts himself. gives no foundation for his writing other than evolution based theories with no proofs. it is really all a myth, this book, just as he proposes other historically accurate realities are myth based. wish I could give it no star at all.

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National Catholic Reporter Version

Revisado: 11-21-21

This author is clearly biased and untrustworthy. I find it revealing that when the Church was robbed by the Italian revolutionaries in the mid 19th Century, Posner does not raise a big fuss over the injustices. The Church barely got anything back under Mussolini. But when the Jewish people were wronged during WWII, everyone should be held accountable to the utmost degree. The double standard is glaring. How many churches and monasteries were destroyed by Communism and others. Do not wait for an outcry from Posner, who claims to be Catholic! What is more, in this book he gives no benefit of the doubt to any churchman except Pope Francis. He clearly has an almost palatable hatred for Pope Pius XII, attributing to him the worst possible motives and behavior from the minor facts Posner can dig up. Yet, he gives everyone outside the Church a pass. The CIA, MI5, various reporters all are above board and honest and true in all their analysis. Whatever they say must be true and without bias. Meanwhile all churchman he speaks of are trying to hide something and are anything but honest. I grant you a number of them were certainly corrupt but the continued painting with the broad brush is unprofessional. He continually falls into fallacies of false cause and strawman and many others. Although I appreciated this book for the subject matter (that is why I listened) and how the Church should not have a bank, nevertheless I will not be listening to any other book written by this man. He would be a great reporter for the National Catholic Reporter... they are fellow travelers!

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A very helpful book about an amazing man

Revisado: 08-06-18

I have learned one of the best ways to know and understand history is to read or listen to the lives of various historical individuals. This book on the life of General Douglas MacArthur did not disappoint. I was impressed by many things described by the author such as MacArthur's excellent memory, his boldness, his sensitivity, how he overcame failures, his love for his son. I was also glad to see the author was not afraid to show his warts as well...such as his vanity, his reluctance to say he made a mistake, his unfounded suspicions (something nearly every great leader suffers from). I happened to visit the Truman Library in Independence, MO while listening to this book. It was most helpful to see MacArthur's side of things. It seemed to me, as might be expected, the library was a little biased in favor of Trumen in all things. I doubt any serious student of history would be disappointed with this book.

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Esolen shows American Phoenix is possible

Revisado: 11-13-17

As is usually the case with Esolen, this book is well done overall. He does a great job putting flesh on the bare bones of a problem by providing many anecdotes and historical precedents. My only objection is his literary prowess can sometimes use things that perhaps are not as fitting for our Catholic faith as he presents them... for example, I would shy away from using Tolkien or any other myth based literature to buttress arguments. Contrary to modern thinking, myth has never been used well to support truth. One other objection is that sometimes he can be a little too immodest in explaining issues surrounding the lust-filled world we live in. That having been said, I and others with me have listened to a couple of his chapters in this book on manhood and womanhood several times without tiring. Esolen is truly an excellent author and I recommend ALL his books.
“Audible 20 Review Sweepstakes Entry”

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Author falls into the pit he digs for others

Revisado: 01-23-16

I picked up this book because it showed some promise of revealing truths about the Renaissance that few today want to admit. Our modern culture grew out of that period and most of our failings can be traced to that era. Yet, I was disappointed. From all I have read and studied, the author makes some good observations about the dissonance between art of that time and the artists and their benefactors... but he goes over board with his attribution of motives. He is very free with his application of the words "hate" and "bigot" or "bigotry" as if he could see in the souls of these people at such a distance of time. What is more, he himself seems to fall into this pit as his writing reveals a certain hate all that came from our Christian heritage. This is seen most especially in his believing and repeating every bad thing he has read and heard about the Popes, priests, and various other prelates of that time (many of which have been proven to be false and spurious or not worthy of belief). At the same time he gives nearly everyone else (namely the Jews, the Muslims, and various native tribes) a free pass...as if they were all victims. So typical of modern historians!! This is the reason I cannot recommend this book and gave it only a single star. If you listen to this book, I urge you to listen to some other more balanced views of history of this era, most especially G.J. Meyer's "The Borgias" and Diane Moczar's "Seven Lies about Catholic History" , both available on Audible.com. Meyer's book on the Borgias book alone shows the lie to many of the conclusions found in this book.

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esto le resultó útil a 11 personas

What a refreshing book!

Revisado: 10-03-15

G.J. Meyer is to be highly commended for this excellent work. I enjoyed it and have recommended it to many people. My only objection his work is the background on the papacy. I think he would do well note that the Papacy is able to be traced all the way to St. Peter. And great men have done this, including St. Augustine. Here is a direct quote from that saint: “For if the lineal succession of bishops is to be taken into account, with how much more certainty and benefit to the Church do we reckon back till we reach Peter himself, to whom, as bearing in a figure the whole Church, the Lord said: “Upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!” Matthew 16:18 The successor of Peter was Linus, and his successors in unbroken continuity were these:— Clement, Anacletus, Evaristus, Alexander, Sixtus, Telesphorus, Iginus, Anicetus, Pius, Soter, Eleutherius, Victor, Zephirinus, Calixtus, Urbanus, Pontianus, Antherus, Fabianus, Cornelius, Lucius, Stephanus, Xystus, Dionysius, Felix, Eutychianus, Gaius, Marcellinus, Marcellus, Eusebius, Miltiades, Sylvester, Marcus, Julius, Liberius, Damasus, and Siricius, whose successor is the present Bishop Anastasius.” (St. Augustine, Letters 53:1:2, A.D. 412). I hope that Meyer continues to put out such good books. I have enjoyed all of them audible has offered so far.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Good story badly told

Revisado: 07-07-13

When I saw the title, I was excited to hear something about the St. Patrick Battalion that went over to Mexico. Yet, the story is so crudely told (lots of unnecessary details about sex and sex abuse that could easily be indicated in a more mature manner) that I gave up in the first chapter.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

A worthwhile story but not told in a worthy manner

Revisado: 01-14-13

The life and times of Pope Celestine V is truly a story worth knowing. I think this author's goals in writing this book were admirable, but I think he failed in his efforts in many ways.
One of the main ways he falls is by constantly imputing motives to the individuals of history. A good historian shows what happened according to the facts that are known and then perhaps suggests some possible motives but with some reluctance. The reader is capable of deducing these things on their own if the author presents the information properly. Beside, we must always remember that we were not there. We do not know at this distance all that a person was thinking and doing. We pay our courts millions of dollars to determine motives in the present without much assurance that we have the right answer. What is sad is how this author rarely gives anyone the benefit of the doubt. Thank God there will be a General Judgment where God will show the truth of all history, including motives. Surely all will be surprised at how wrong they were in their own private judgments.
Second, he is a typical modern writer who looks down on the middle ages or those that came before us as if we know better now. For example, a number of times he mentions how science has helped us. He says science has helped us understand death. My goodness, how is this? Science may have helped us understand the mechanism of death, but to my knowledge science has not helped us understand anything about death itself which is the separation of body and soul. If anything, science denies the existence of the soul. As a result, the arrogance of his writing is almost too much to take in places.
Third, this author is typical of those who see only the worst in things in historical figures and situations. They love to report even the hints or rumors of wrong doing at the level of the papacy or any other office. They love to concentrate all their efforts on where a saint seems to have failed. This is all part of modern thinking where we blame our parents and ancestors for everything and how they did nothing right.
I could go on and on with this book...but, in a word, sad to say, I cannot recommend this book for anyone seeking to understand the fascinating life and times of Pope Celestine V.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Author falls into typical 20th Century revisionism

Revisado: 01-12-13

The author starts this work by saying he is only trying to stick to the facts that are known about St. Patrick. But then he makes St. Patrick to be a Protestant. I was amazed to hear how St. Patrick studied only the Bible and himself placed so much stress on reading primarily the Bible. I was amazed to hear how St. Patrick objected to any connection with the Pope in Rome... that he, St. Patrick, was in Ireland on authority that came straight from God rather than through His Vicar on earth, the Pope. We know this is false in light of history. We know that this saying is true: as the leader so the people. After King Henry VIII broke away from Rome in the early 16th Century, the country remained divided from Rome even after many attempts to heal the schism. As the leader, so the people. If St. Patrick never had any connection or allegiance to Rome, how come Ireland has been among the most loyal, if not THE most loyal, of all countries to Rome throughout history? Until recently, they have been a most faithful people...coming to the rescue of the Church time and time again. If they started out with such independence, would they, the fiercely independent people that they are, not want to keep it that way? Would they not at least sympathize with King Henry VIII on that point? Sorry. The author of this book is reading things into the life of St. Patrick. So much for sticking to the facts. Just because there may not be an explicit mention of Rome in the very slim writings we have from St. Patrick, can in no way justify the conclusions of this author. He is forcing a Protestant 16th Century mentality upon a 5th Saint. For this reason alone, I cannot recommend this book. Even one star seems too high.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Very helpful but not complete

Revisado: 10-23-12

I found this book very helpful in piecing many things together. It is amazing to see how the occult has played a role in the lives of many leaders of America and Europe. But, I was disappointed when the author did not address some major elements of the self-help programs that find their roots in the occult. Here I am specifically thinking of the AA 12-Step programs that were initiated with Bill Wilson. He started under the Oxford Group Movement which later changed its name to Moral Rearmament. They incorporated occult ideas. It is also well known that Bill Wilson attended many seances and perhaps even wrote the 12-Steps under the influence of praeternatural beings in sessions of automatic writing. Also, I was waiting to hear about the various groups that influence Hollywood and other figures that shape our country through the media. What about Charles Manson and the Process? What about Charles Manson and Scientology? What about the occult and the use of drugs like LSD? These things have greatly influenced us...as the book "Turn Off Your Mind" by Gary Lachman explains. Still, I would recommend this book even though it is deficient in providing a more complete picture.

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