From Publishers Weekly
Priest, sociologist and mystery novelist Greeley and his sister Durkin bring out the many facets of love with this uneven but often rewarding anthology of poetry, stories, scripture and folk tales from many cultures. Following St. Paul, the editors deem love not just an emotion, but a "virtue" that mediates many kinds of relationships. While romantic verse takes pride of place, Greeley and Durkin also offer selections from Huckleberry Finn to illustrate friendship, Oscar Wilde on love of family, Keats's Ode to a Nightingale on love of nature, the 23rd Psalm on love of God, and Shelley on the primal urge of dualities to unite that animates the universe. Some of the selections, like the trite love letters from Mozart and Tsar Nicholas II to their wives, are ill chosen, and the much too generous helpings of the editors' (and their relatives') own writings do not come off well in the company of Chaucer and Shakespeare, but most readers will find something here to enchant and move them.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This compendium draws from a wide array of universal religious texts, including the Bible and the Koran, as well as notable works by Mark Twain, William Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Kahlil Gibran, John Keats, and a host of others, to explore the essence of love. Scripture, folklore, sayings, songs, children's stories, classic tales, poetry, and more are gathered under 12 broad themes that address love in its varied manifestations, e.g., "Friendship," "Family Love," "Generic Love," and "A Place To Belong." The result is a sumptuous anthology of seminal reflections on a topic important to us all. Greeley is both a priest and the celebrated author of many novels; Durkin has published numerous books on women, marriage, and the family. Intended for a popular readership, this treasury will find an audience in all public libraries, especially those serving patrons with a religious predilection.
Richard K. Burns, MSLS, Hatboro, Pa. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
