Pope John Paul II: The life of Karol Wojtyla
by Mieczysław Maliński
Category: Popes

This informal biography by Pope John Paul's lifelong friend is best described as a warm and personal reminiscence. The author recalls the trials that Karol had to face from the time of his youth, the influence of the war years on his personality development, his studies and teaching--all the way to his election to the Papacy. Written with sensitivity and candor, it is the portrit of a man of extraordinary courage and faith, a man whose personal and national experience, however testing, nurtured his humanity. The author, a fellow priest and a fellow Pole, shares numerous anecdotes spanning some forty years' friendship with Wojtyla: experiences from thier days of youth as well as the more recent experiences in Wojtyla's leadership in a struggling Church.