From the editors of Chicago Tribune and highlighted by dozens of classic historic photos and populated by unforgettable characters like Lech Walesa and President George H.W. Bush, here is the story of a bold pontiff who towered over his century and then led his church into a new millennium. From his beginnings as a young actor and philosopher from southern Poland, forged in the horrors of World War II, this biography traces how he became a priest, then archbishop of Krakow, and Cardinal before, to the amazement of the world, he became Pope John Paul II, the leader of the world's largest religious body. This work touches on he stared down dictators and clamped down on critics; he jetted around the globe to spread his message, thrilling millions and transforming the image of the papacy; and how he planted the seeds of human rights and national destiny in his native Poland, eventually sparking the fall of Communism throughout Europe. The book is a timeless keepsake, an important window into Pope John Paul II, a man who left an indelible mark on his church and his times.
