[.ca] The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the ... (ISBN 0385513208)

A good 'popular' account of recent history:
One commentator called this book 'instant history', and to a certain extent, that is true - the interregnum between John Paul II (the Great?) and Benedict XVI was very brief, the Conclave short, but the road leading up to these events were well established and well documented, often by author John J. Allen, Jr. himself. Allen is the author of many books on this topic, include a book entitled 'Conclave', written several years ago in anticipation of the Conclave from earlier this year (2005). He also has written books on the College of Cardinals and other Vatican officials, Opus Dei, and numerous articles on various papal and Vatican subjects in his capacity as a correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter. Allen brings all of this background to bear with his good insight and accessible journalistic style to describing the events from the final days of John Paul II to the papal election ('Habemus Papam!'). These are presented in an interesting section with sensitive and compassionate writing about the final days and funeral of the late pontiff. With regard to the election process itself, Allen presents many fascinating details, including a litany of conventional wisdom facts that Ratzinger/Benedict seemed to shatter. These include: * he who goes into the Conclave a pope comes out a cardinal * the cardinals from outside Rome would not elect a Curia insider * the cardinals would not elect someone closely identified with the previous pope * the cardinals would not elect someone from Europe, where the church is increasingly in decline * the church would not elevate someone close to 80 to begin such a major ministry. Allen writes of the very human dimension of the election process in the Conclave, using the words of Ratzinger himself as support. When asked in 1997 if it was the Holy Spirit who directed the election of the pope, Ratzinger did not affirm the role of responsibility to the Holy Spirit exclusive of human agency, stating, 'There are too many contrary instances of popes the Holy Spirit would obviously not have picked.' The second half of the book (in reality, part three, as the above sequence constitutes part one and two) deals with a biographical and analytical sketch of the new pope, the former cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. Allen highlights many of the chief concerns and challenges that the new pope will face, including the changing culture of the church and the new face of society in general. Benedict XVI, like his predecessor, was a product of the World War II experience, with a very traditional education and upbringing; very intelligent and highly educated, he began in his earliest speeches putting some distance between himself and earlier images of him, but reaffirming many of his traditional beliefs at the same time. This is a fascinating book, in which Allen makes many attempts at predictions, not so much on what Benedict XVI will do, but on what will be considered. As Allen writes, however, whenever he confidently stated something would not or could not be done, often a pope would surprise him by doing precisely that thing (John Paul II's apology in Greece over the Fourth Crusade, for example). Thus, the future is wide open, and Allen sees it as a hopeful time for Catholics and for the world, and for Benedict, too.