Peter CostelloPope Francis (Crossroad Publishing /Veritas, €23.99/£18.10)
During his years as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Bergoglio's constant theme was how to follow Jesus unreservedly, even in the hectic turmoil of our modern world. The texts of these talks, specially selected for this extensive book, reveal the spiritual depths of Pope Francis as perhaps no other recent book has done. It has been edited by the general editor of the writings of Pope Francis in Argentina a personal friend, and been translated by an American Jesuit, Joseph V. Owens, who claims that the book is "not just for reading. It is a path for prayer and a guide for life."
The strong scriptural orientation of the Pope is evident in the countless references to both the Old and New Testament. To help the reader, this edition supplements the original Spanish text with scriptural references. The language of these pages speaks to the heart as much as to the mind. These are meditations to be savored rather than just read quickly and filed away.