Elected in one of the shortest conclaves in history, the former Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina reveals, in a series of extensive interviews conducted over the course of two years, the very image of a humble priest, inspired teacher, and wise and adroit cardinal. Speaking spontaneously and intimately, Archbishop Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, covers topics as wide-ranging as his childhood, family life, and first job to discovering his calling and his early days in the seminary. The former archbishop was a teacher of psychology and literature until John Paul II consecrated him as a cardinal. He befriended writers like Jorge Luis Borges and cites Homer, Cervantes, and German and Italian poets with ease and offers genuinely interesting and nuanced thoughts about teaching. A learned and introspective man, he doesn't avoid the uncomfortable subjects: topics covered include the declining numbers of priests and nuns; celibacy; the sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the church; and his opinions about and experience with the military dictatorship of his own crisis riddled country. It also discusses the incredible role he played in the last conclave. In each stage of his life, we witness a man more interested in substance than style, one whose actions and words reflect his deeply-rooted humility. The book concludes with the Pope's own writings and reflections, full of wisdom and inspiration.
