It was just a letter written by a man in jail, on behalf of his race, attempting to address the social injustice of the time-right? Wrong! Martin Luther King's Letter From the Birmingham Jail is much more compelling, and the circumstances surrounding its final composition more complex than the average person knows. Ostensibly written to the eight white clergymen of the embittered and embattled steel city, it was intended for a much wider audience-namely the media and the American public. Blessed Are the Peacemakers provides the reader with individual profiles of the eight and their struggles of conscience as they saw an old social order collapse. What has been taken as the almost spur-of-the-moment reflections of Martin Luther King, in jail for civil disobedience, turns out to be a document much longer in the making and more calculated in its delivery. This disclosure in no way detracts from its rightful place in American folklore or its power in fueling Civil Rights Movement. Rather, it helps us understand the care with which the deep conviction of racial rights was presented. The book is not an apology for the eight clergy, some of whom were more progressive than others, but it does provide much needed insight for the serious student of history into the complex struggles, powerful emotions, and vitrolic attacks perpetrated on even the most moderate voices of the white clergy. What it does not do, of course, is speak of the many white clergy of lesser rank who paid a much higher price for their fight for justice for their black brothers and sisters. Still, to read about these eight leaders, (Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Jewish) and their struggles is instructive. As an Alabama-born, white clergy expatriate from that period, marginally involved in the Civil Rights Movement, I hung on every word. These are reflections that should help black and white readers alike better understand this turbulent period. Statements from the eight white clergy as well as King's Letter are included in the appendix.

The Hunter game is a nice addition to anyones WoD collection. This book can help one to build better characers. You know onesa that can actually live for past 60 seconds.

When I purchased this book, I was expecting something along the lines of a a player's guide or such. What I got, on the other hand, was a sourcebook chock full of information on supernaturals around the world. Be careful that you know what this is before you purchase it. It's an excellent book and I liked it very much, but it was not what I had in mind for a survival guide.

I liked this book. Its written from the point of view of the hunters, a different one for each section. The book does not have any game mechanics, its pure story. It begins with a few tips for novice hunters, something you should get your players to read through. Then it goes on to describe each continent. It spends a lot of time discussing the world outside of North America, so if your planning on running a game in a different country then this is the book for you. I liked the fact that since the information is given out by hunters, it is full of various facts that are completely not true, so your players can read through the book and still not have any of the real information. Full of great story potential and well written. A good buy if your going to run a hunter's game.

This is one of those books that after you've read it, you can't tell if it was worth your time or not.

I learned a bit about the Papal election process, and I learned a LOT about what a particular part of the priesthood thinks about the current and previous Popes. That was interesting to me as a "small town Catholic boy".

However, as other reviewers have noted, the characterization is paper thin, the plotting is silly, the "bad guys" in the Roman curia are mainly faceless and without redemption, and the "good guys" are completely without fault. I'd go further to add that the bias shown by the supposedly objective reporters in the novel is so severe that the characters cease to be believable in their own right, and become "mouthpieces" for the author.

Now, for fans of Greeley, I'm sure this will be a satisfying read... For those neutral to his particular style, (and it can get really thick, particularly the dialogue) I suspect it might not be. Before I picked up "White Smoke", the last time I read a Greeley novel was over 12 years ago. I liked that book. I don't much care for this one.

This is the first Greeley novel I have read, though they have all come recommended. As a storyteller he is definitely up there with the best romance writers--in fact I would argue he is better than most sappy romance authors. However, it did take me a good 40-50 pages to understand his jumping from one first-person narrative to the next depending on which character was telling the story, and why he was writing this way. Not a writing style that is widely used.

This book is also a suspenseful mystery, though not as well written in this regard as the romantic. What Greeley does best is give you a good lesson in history, politics and present day sociological makeup up the present-day Catholic Church. Warts and all.

Many conservitive Catholics would probably find this book offensive, though most persons and groups are fictitious (except for Opus Dei, the conservitive Catholic organization). I believe most active Catholics feel that any institution needs to be scrutinized and critiqued. All organizations are run by humans and all humans are fallible. Including the Pope and especially his bishops and cardinals.

Bottom line for this book--it's a decent read, though readers unfamiliar with Greeley's style should be cautious, because it can seem like it is jumping around. It is not the best of mysteries, nor romances, nor even lessons on the Catholic religion--but it could be worse. It is only a point-of-view and not the only one in this universal church. It is a view of what "could" happen and may be close to what might happen during the next conclave. It's entertaining enough as a relaxing summer read, or a quick read on a long plane trip. Though don't ask it to be anything else.

Politics, Vatican style, have much in common with Watergate when Bishop "Blackie" Ryan and Sean Cardinal Cronin travel to Rome to participate in the election of a new Pope. Intrigue, romance, and a look at the behind the scenes activities of the Roman Catholic hierarchy make this a fast paced read, one that you will have difficulty putting aside. This is a must read for all Andrew Greeley fans.

I bought this book with the hope of reading how top contemporary Protestant scholars address the issue of ecclesiology espoused by Rome and the Orthodox. It left me sadly disappointed. The chapter that addresses the four marks of the church defined in the nicene creed did not attempt to reconcile Protestant perceptions of those terms with the historical understanding of the council fathers. None dealt substantially with Eph 5:32. I was further saddened that one author criticized the piety of Catholics on the basis of his understanding rather than taking the time to just ask some of them why they were doing it. All guns trained against Catholicism while the Eastern Orthodox hold nearly identical views on ecclesiology. Perhaps someday a book with less rhetoric and polemic will attempt to address issues that build understanding rather than polarizing divisiveness.

This is shorter re-write of his earlier book "Complete Sea Kayak Touring"; but printed on poorer stock. Of course you do save $. Get the first version.