I'm delighted to recommend this new book, partly a novel and partly a dialogue about the Church, the world, and Ireland. A whole heap of excellent books by traditionalists have appeared recently, addressing the crisis in the Church in the context of the crisis in the liturgy. The Gentle Traditionalist is different in addressing itself to non-believers.
Thus, it does not primarily attempt to convince well-informed Catholic readers with detailed (or broad-sweeping) historical and theological argument; rather, it presents, in a charming but unflinching way, the Catholic traditionalist perspective on how things are, where we have come from, and what we can do about it.
The detailed arguments of the other works are very necessary in winning arguments within the Church which need to be won, but this book may be more accessible, intellectually and emotionally, for many Catholics as well as for non-Catholics. It is witty and articulate, and will be balm for the soul for committed trads as well as food for thought for the unconvinced.
I was allowed to read this book prior to publication, and some words of mine are on the back cover.
a sample chapter can be read here.
The author blogs here.
Buy it on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Francis Phillips reviews it for the Catholic Herald here.
Buy it on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Francis Phillips reviews it for the Catholic Herald here.
