The Divine and Human Comedy of Andrew M. Greeley

Download or read book The Divine and Human Comedy of Andrew M. Greeley written by Allienne R. Becker and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2000-08-30 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The volume approaches Greeleys novels by comparing him to the 19th-century French writer Honoré de Balzac. A prolific and popular author, Balzac recorded his milieu in tremendous detail, created a fictional universe peopled by hundreds of characters, and explored the role of Catholicism in his world. Because of his training as a sociologist, Greeley brings to his novels a thorough knowledge of popular culture and social theory. And because of his experience as a Roman Catholic priest, he has gained special knowledge of vice, virtue, and the workings of the Church. Like Balzac—now a major canonical author—Greeley has created a world of numerous fictional persons, mapped the details of his culture, and explored the place of Catholicism in contemporary life.