The Catholicism Answer Book: The 300 Most Frequently Asked Questions
This book provides answers to 288 commonly asked questions about  the Catholic faith, grouped under the headings of doctrine, worship, the  Ten Commandments, prayer, church history, and "this and that." Written by  the authors ofJohn Paul II for Dummiesand101 Things Everyone  Should Know About the Bible, it is aimed at a popular rather than a  scholarly audience. While it does provide some helpful information on the  basics of Catholicism, answers sometimes consist of roundabout explanations  that could be expressed more succinctly, and some sections are confusing in  their inclusion of concepts not directly related to the subject under  discussion. Some of the questions seem rather odd, such as whether God  created alien life on other planets and whether "daily bread" comes from  bakeries, and some of the explanations are somewhat flippant. Sources  include the1997 Catechism of the Catholic Churchas well as papal  encyclicals and church staples like theSumma Theologicaof St.  Thomas Aquinas, which underline the traditional/conservative orientation of  this work. Of some interest to public libraries.-Denise J. Stankovics,  Rockville P.L., Vernon, CT --Library Journal, April 1