What Every Catholic Knew…

When this book came up for review, I excitedly selected it as quickly as I could.  A Catholic book from Ignatius Press about Europe (especially eastern Europe) leading up to WWII – I could not resist.

The story begins with an elderly man, Max, who knows his death is soon approaching.  When his favorite student arrives for violin lessons, he shares with and trusts her with a “mission” near and dear to his heart.  He asks her to pull a postcard out of his dresser drawer.  On the postcard is a list of names, birthdays, locations, dates of death.  He explains to her that these people were very special to him, and as much as he desired to, he never got around to telling their stories.  He would like her to do just that.  Discover who these people were, and what their lives entailed.  And so the story begins…

Max is a young school boy, tutored at home.  Tragedies strike, sending his to a well-know school to continue his learning. The story follows him and his friends as they grow up.  This may sound mundane, but it is anything but.  The boys struggle with their beliefs (or lack thereof) and what is happening around them in Germany, as well as back in their own hometowns.  The atmosphere is tense and unpredictable as they watch Germany deteriorate around them.

The variety of areas of study covered in this book is astounding.  And if the bits of information are correct (I am not learned enough to know), then the author is exceptionally intelligent.   Philosophical arguments, the use of different languages, the atmosphere within several different countries following World War I and leading up to World War II, different philosophies of government found in the different countries…the amount of information is astounding, but not at all difficult to follow.  I learned as much in this novel as nearly any of my college-level history courses.

The author’s ability to write well is also certainly not lacking.   Her use of words and descriptions easily allow the reader to place himself in the surroundings of the characters.  This is a book one can truly get lost in.

Unpredictable this book was as well.  The characters’ unexpected choices, and surprising (and sometimes tragic) situations keep this story anything but dull.   The only difficulty I had with the story is a couple of situations dealing with a character’s sexuality and choices regarding his behavior.  It was uncomfortable for me to read.  I also knew, however, that Ignatius Press would not let me down, so when these parts of the book (there are two) presented themselves,  I read all the more quickly to get past them, knowing they would have to end, and they did.  I am not so sure that they really needed to be part of the story, but life is life and it is certainly not always pretty.  I suppose I just grew so attached to the main character that it was painful to see him go down the wrong path.

Overall, this book was wonderful.  Novels are not always my preference, but this one was  a very enjoyable read.  Ignatius Press has been producing several movies recently, and they would do very well to add this one to its production line.

What I Wish Every Catholic Knew:  It is possible to enjoy fictional work without compromising your faith.  There are many Catholic works of fiction out there.

What I Wish Every Catholic Would Do:  Make a point next time you are looking for a good read to look for something Catholic.  Genuinely Catholic.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on A Postcard from the Volcano.