Reviews for Abraham Lincoln

The average rating for Abraham Lincoln based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-06-10 00:00:00 George CLEMENTI This is a book I would never pick out to read but it was past on to me and I can never resist trying a book that's in front of me - I read the whole thing - OK, I did glaze over some chapters - but I got a whole new education about WWII and Poland's place in the war and people who actually lived through the whole thing. Amazing story...and imagine being baptized, first communion, confirmation and married by the pope! (not the friend but his grandaughter) - timely reading with the current popes trip is Israel.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-04-15 00:00:00 Mike Hopkins There once were two boys, Jurek and Lolek, classmates, living in a small Polish town. One was Jew, one Catholic and they were friends. Then came war and separated them, for decades. Both survived, Lolek remained in Krakow and became priest and bishop. Jurek lived through Soviet prison, fought with Polish army in Middle East,northern Africa and won decorations for valour under Monte Cassino. Then he settled in Italy started business and there he in mid 60ies heard about an archbishop from Krakow who made remarkable speech on one of sessions of Second Vatican Council.His name was Wojtyla. With some reluctance and trepidation Jurek get in contact with Polish prelate... and met Lolek again. Friend stayed in touch a meet frequently. Then came an autumn day in 1978. Jerzy Kluger was just in chair of his dentist, when he overheard in a radio, that new pope was elected. Then he heard that John Paul II who just started adressing crowd in piazza of St. Peter, and he heard it was Lolek. He met him soon again and then many times more. This book is at its best when chronicles first youth of future Pope and his Jewish friend, their schoolmates in Wadowice, then their ordeals during war and then discreet, long and complicated effort for dramatic change in Catholic-Jewish, and Vatican-Israeli relations. When it tackles history and relation of church teaching to Anti-Semitism it sadly lapses into too sweeping suggestion and rather shallow analysis. Still powerful and moving story of Kruger and Wojtyla, Jurek and Lolek, makes Hidden Pope interesting read.