This book is a compilation of some of Greeley's best work...short stories full of great characters and some suspense as well. He does a great job of portraying completely different women. Each story is unique in its style and very entertaining. Great for people who have short attention spans or limited time for reading.

This book is a great one for first time Greeley readers who aren't sure whether they want to read one of his novels. All about Women is a book full of short stories where women are the focal point. I recognized some of his short stories that were taken from his novels such as The Cardinal Virtues and Happy are the Clean of Heart. Greeley does not claim to know all about women, in fact he says so in his introduction which you should read even if you don't usually read introductions to books. You will be depriving yourself of a wonderful literary experience if you do not read this book.

There were three great books written about journeys to the American West in 1859: The best was Mark Twain's semi-fictional ROUGHING IT. The next best was Sir Richard F. Burton's THE CITY OF THE SAINTS, about a journey to see what Mormonism was all about and to meet with Brigham Young.

That Horace Greeley's book should be third in this line-up is no disgrace. There is so much self-conscious mythmaking about the Old West that eyewitness accounts of intelligent observers are as rare as hen's teeth. Before the completion of the Trans-Continental Railroad, any journey across the Great Plains was attended by danger, discomfort, and memorable encounters. It is unfortunate that there so so few good accounts.

Greeley was first and foremost a newspaper man. He had a sharp eye for what he thought would interest his readers (unlike Twain & Burton who wrote sub specie aeternitatis) and did not disappoint. His descriptions of the Indians, the rigors of the road, and the struggling communities a-borning west of the Platte make for fascinating reading.

This is one of those great books to take along on a car journey through the Rockies and Great Plains.

It was really great, I'm just kidding I haven't even read it yet, but I am going to mainly because I'm related and like to read.

Revisiting the crazy O'Malley clan he recently created, Father Greeley tells us the story of Chuck and his beloved Rosemaire and the events that they were part of in the last years of the seventies.

Chuck has been sent to Vatican city to witness and photograph the election of the new pope. He watches as politics shape the church, then is called to the White House where he meets President Carter and is witness to national crises. However, the national and worldwide events pale compared to the desolation that is in Chuck's heart. A thriving career and beautiful wife just are not enough to satisfy him. Divine intervention alone will restore his joy.

**** Lovingly told, this story will enchant readers familiar with the series, but new readers will most likely be a bit lost. However, new or old, you can not miss or fail to be charmed by Father Greeley's warm writing style that plays out events casually, but still has a profound message. Particularly engaging is the way he has divine figures show up in such a friendly manner.

Happily married to his beloved Rosemarie and father to five adult children and three grandchildren that he adores and loves Charles "Chucky" Cronin still worries about the future. He remains a faithful Catholic, but wonders if perhaps the church abandoned its flock. He contemplates whether he is just suffering from a biological occurrence for someone turning fifty or a reaction to continual racial inequality, assassinations, priestly wrongdoing, Viet Nam and Watergate? Rosemary worries about much of the same agenda, but also is concerned with Chucky, who seems to have lost his step.

Chucky, a professional photographer and former ambassador, soon regains much of his sixties and early seventies fervor that put him at odds with presidents. He and Rosemary try to dislodge a church protected pediophile priest. That fails because Cardinal Archbishop Thomas John O'Neill is psychotic and paranoid especially when it comes to protecting one of his own. Chuck and Rosemary have a cause to remove both abominations even as a personal miracle that has not happened to this couple in two decades occurs.

The sixth O'Malley chronicle is an insightful look at the Carter Administration through the eyes of Chucky and Rosemary, alternating chapters. The story line provides a vivid scrutiny while insuring the lead couple feels complete. Chucky suffers from a mid life crisis as he begins to question all he once believed in while Rosemary encourages him to gracefully continue the fight for what both know is right. Andrew Greeley furnishes a delightful charmer that displays how the late 1970s, only twenty-five years ago, feel today like ancient history even to one who lived through it.

Harriet Klausner

However, I have the feeling, after reading this book, that Andrew Greeley may be suffering from his vow of celibacy. The descriptions of all the women with their "wondrous" breasts is getting really old. He needs to learn another word because this reader is sick of that one. The story is interesting and I always love his Irish people, the Irish dialect, and the Irish traditions. But please, can't we have some less than wondrous women in his books?

Okay, let's go through the Greeley Checklist; Irish Catholic family, Check. Strong female lead, check. Sweet romance with a touch of danger, check. Happy ending, check. Yep, looks like the old Greeley formula. But as usual, he pulls it off in fine style. Patrick and Sara Anne are as engaging as my favorite Greeley couple, Dermot and Nuala from IRISH GOLD. And Raphaella, the angel with an attitude, is a delightful companion. One cavaet; The thug who terrorizes our heroes. I think I saw this same guy in IRISH LACE. Greeley needs to come up with some new villians. All in all, formulatic but expertly handled. Andrew M. Greeley never fails to entertain with his warmth, wisdom and knowledge of the human heart. First-rate fun!

After Greeley captured my attention with Angel Fire, I was eager to read more about his "angels". Angel Light doesn't disappoint. It makes me hope that there is a "Rae" watching over me. It's a wonderful love story, interwove with a man's "coming of age". I want more!

and this novel makes for a neat twist on the "locked-room" mystery style that is Blackie Ryan's forte. One of the biggest problems an established author has with an on-going series is to make sure that the stories don't become too "formula," like the last couple of Bond films with Roger Moore did.

Greeley avoids this with his Blackie Ryan novels by going for interesting locales...he takes Ryan out of Chicago without taking the Chicago out of the good bishop.

So, without giving the story away (a sin for a reviewer of a mystery novel), suffice to say that Blackie Ryan has a wonderful time in Paris, with his boss, the more-than-formidable Sean Cardinal Cronin. My only major complaint is that the love-story-subplot in this novel is a bit formula.

Greeley's descriptions of Paris are excellent, giving the reader a good feel for the neighborhoods and the metro without being a Fodor's book. _Beggar Girl_ doesn't tackle any serious hot-button issues of the modern Catholic Church, but the author still throws out tidbits that make those who are interested in church politics and such say "hmmmmmm."

Reading Greeley is like drinking champagne: a frothy concoction that perfectly complements an evening of escape. Here Greeley's customary Irish charm competes with Gallic savoir-faire. We are introduced to the Paris of the protected visitor with translators, tucked-away hotels and famous restaurants.

Greeley's series hero, Bishop Blackie Ryan, is on a mission for "Cardinal Sean:" find Jean-Claude, a young Dominican priest who vanished without a trace while conducting visitors around cathedral ruins. Jean-Claude had a popular television program and was much admired by the students and nuns who were his ministry, yet everyone saw him differently, and all agreed he had mysterious depths and a magical smile.

Bishop Blackie has a gift for unearthing hidden depths in people as well as clues for his investigation. Befriending a young woman who seems out of place as a Cathedral beggar, he enlists her help in tracing the young priest who often seemed equally out of place as a Dominican priest.

The story line has the fascination of a moderately difficult crossword puzzle, the kind you know you can solve if you just put in the time. It also has about as much action and cliff-hanging action -- and short-term satisfaction as the Sunday crossword. Greeley gives us the world as we would like it to be, where problems are solved by a convenient phone call to Chicago and a couple of FedEx packages, and even the Cardinal benevolently distinguishes the Christian from the Church.

As Greeley is careful to note in an afterward, this is a tale of fiction. Unlike many readers, I was surprised by the ending, which fit the clues but seemed highly implausible. I will say only that Greeley gets the chance to share his very politically correct, enlightened views of the Church and the world. And he might encourage us all to beware of reading our own beliefs into situations that are not what they seem.

I'm not usually a fan of Bishop Blackie -- but I liked this one!

"The Bishop And The Beggar Girl Of St. Germain" by Fr. Andrew M. Greeley, Audio book Version narrated by George Guidall. Recorded Books Productions, New York 2001.

The author, Fr. Andrew Greeley, moves the venue for this Bishop Blackie mystery to Paris, and it seems that he certainly knows Paris: at least the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the subway system, many subway stops and the little bistros on the Left Bank. Using this as backdrop, Fr. Greeley has Bishop John Blackwood Ryan accompany his Cardinal, Sean Cronin, of Chicago, to Paris, where Bishop Blackie is impressed as a detective in the service of the local cardinal. "Blackie" is requested to find the young television priest, Jean-Claude, who had disappeared during a TV shoot in the 3rd Century basement of Notre Dame.

Needing an interpreter, Bishop Blackie "stumbles" on Marie-Bernadette, an accomplished musician who is begging outside the Church of St. Germain. Greeley's fascination with thing Celtic (pronounced as KEL-tik) means that Marie-Bernadette's accomplishments are in Celtic music, whether from the Celtic region of France or the Basque region of Spain, or, of course, from Scotland and Ireland. This makes a nice little sub-plot, with Bishop Blackie officiating at Marie-Bernadette's marriage at the end of the book.

Of course, Blackie solves the mystery of the disappearance of the television evangelist priest, Jean-Claude, and while doing so, Author Greeley comments on the loneliness of the celibate clergy, their trials and temptations. I couldn't help wondering if there was some autobiographical issues buried in those comments. The story's main plot had a nice little twist that I should have been able to catch earlier than I did!

Narrator George Guidall was again excellent. I have listened to him as the voice of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee in the Tony Hillerman mysteries, and it is amazing how Mr. Guidall can range from "flat" Navajo tone in those books to an excited French accent for the exalted cardinal of Paris in this book. I enjoyed the book and listening to Mr. Guidall as I commuted on I-495, the ring road around Boston... Five Stars.

My first Blackie Ryan novel was "Happy Are The Peacemakers." While I enjoyed it greatly it was not quite what I expected. Set in Dublin, scented with a perpetually heavy Irish brogue, and narrated by someone other than the Bishop himself, it wasn't quite my cup of tea. I had already bought "Happy Are Those Who Mourn," and was worried that I would continue to be a bit disgruntled. The good news for me is that "Those Who Mourn" is much more the Greeley novel I was promised, and that I am completely satisfied.
Blackie Ryan, auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, is a wry and iconoclastic defender of the faith who often serves the Cardinal as investigator and chief meddler into suspect affairs. In this case Blackie is asked to investigate the apparent haunting of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in the up-scale community of Woodbridge. The death of the previous parish priest, Charles McInerny, is suspect, and the current incumbent, Peter Finnegan, is harassed on all sides by an irascible ghost. The Cardinal is not superstitious and wants to make sure that the ghost does not become a news story.
Blackie arrives to discover that the spirit in question may not be the worst of the parish's problems. For 25 years the finances of the church have been handled laxly and some 10 million dollars or more seems to have evaporated. Blackie's investigations lead him to those who were close cronies of the old priest. The banker Gerald Reed and his beautiful wife Evelyn are involved somehow. In addition, the eccentric Dr. Curtin and his spear bearing wife are certainly suspect, as well as Arnold Griffin, a commodities trader. Blackie finds that all of these players are somehow in cahoots with each other, and that much of the story dates back to Pusan in Korea. McInerny's murder turns out to be the kind of closed room mystery that the Bishop specializes in. With all these complications it is no surprise when a new rash of deaths occur.
One comes to like Bishop Ryan right from the start. He has a slightly sarcastic style that masks a generous nature and a brilliant mind. His first person narrative is full of spark and insight, and he is honest with the reader without giving anything away. He is the perfect foil for Andrew Greeley who seems to really care for his characters and takes the time to bring them to life. These tales are 'comfy' mystery stories, in that there is little real violence and much to enjoy. The reader can look forward to a good puzzle, humorous narrative, and a satisfying ending. If you've been reading a lot of noir fiction lately, try a Greeley tale for blessed relief.

I am really not sure I liked this book. I was a youngster, (13 and 14) in 46 and 47 so some of the descriptive history of that time was interesting but somehow, the energy Jerry spent looking for Andrea, Maggie, or whoever she was was not too believable plus some of their dialogue was boring. I hope somebody else will put a current review but I guess not too many are interested in this book and I wouldn't have been if I hadn't had it given to me. This was my first and only by Greely.

It is easy to see that Greeley wrote this book earlier in his career and often falls back on cliches of women and certain dated language. His more recent work has improved tremendously. (See White Smoke and the Nuala Mc Grail novels). Overall, as are all Greeley books, highly entertaining, if someone implausible. Enjoyable, if you take it for what it's worth.

I am a huge Blackie Ryan fan, and have read just about every book in the series. My advice to readers of _Happy are the Merciful_ is to hang in there through the first half of the novel. It is not told from Blackie's point of view, but from that of an idealistic young district attorney. I actually gave up on this book about halfway into the D.A.'s narrative, because, though well-written, it just wasn't giving me the "Blackie fix" I crave in one of Greeley's novels. It turns out that the information provided in the D.A.'s narrative is information vital for the reader to fully comprehend the case once Blackie steps in. Without it, the story would just not work. Once you reach the portion of the novel where the narrative switches over to Fr. Blackie, you will NOT be disappointed! I am so glad I went back to this book, and would encourage Blackie fans to keep the faith.

Andrew Greeley is a very engaging priest/author/sociologist who has just produced another sparkling masterpiece in Contract With An Angel. I have read all of his novels since The Cardinal Sins and have found his work has only improved over time! In this latest book, Greeley entertains, enlightens, and educates (it's a fun way to learn new vocabulary words!).

The "reverse Faust" premise used in this story fascinated and intrigued me. I found the Michael Jordan-like angel absolutely hilarious! (Especially, on the heels of another Bulls Championship!) Michael brought humor and light each time he appeared to our hero, Neenan, who struggled to understand and fulfill his contractual agreement. The opening scenes on the airplane set the tone of the book and I quickly searched for a seat belt to remain in my chair to avoid falling off during my convulsive fits of laughter! Michael, unlike the character in the movie of the same name, displayed chic style and clever wit as he delivered his messages to Neenan. Young angelic choirs also punctuated positive action throughout the story and I came to look forward to their appearances.

Lest you think this a piece of comedic fluff, the humor simply lures the reader into the messages that go beyond the "Touched By An Angel" words of "God Loves You!" Greeley imaginatively explains just HOW God loves you! The reader sees this in the grace of new beginnings given to Neenan in the short time left in his life, God's "gift" of Anna Maria, and in the very powerful ending! The story serves a slice of "Hound Of Heaven" and a bit of Dickens' Christmas Carol. Neenan and the cast of characters have hormones that work, anxieties over the same issues we face in our own lives, and flaws (because few of us are perfect!) which God manages to transform to good advantage! I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the delightful cameo appearance of a young Jewish girl whose identity I'll let future readers discover!

The Greeley reader could, also, detect his admiration for the work of! Susan Howatch whom I've also read (Howatch's latest book is The Wonder Worker). He nearly convinced me that a "Starbridge Miniseries" REALLY was going to happen! I only wished that part of the fiction were fact! I think Greeley's stories could just as easily translate onto a tv or full screen movie. Like Howatch, his stories, including Contract With An Angel, have depth and substance and wit! I've never been disappointed and recommend a "Greeley experience" anytime!

My library consists of all of Father Greeley's fiction. I have loved every story and have found that generally all have happy endings. As I read CONTRACT WITH AN ANGEL I was saddened with the thought that the main character was going to die. I was in tears beginning in Chapter 29 when Raymond Anthony Neenan was dying. But, what a beautiful ending! The book has many lessons concerning personal relationships with God, family, and fellow workers, as well as getting in touched with one's self. This is one of his BEST! As usual there is a good mixture of human emotions. Thank you, Father Greeley, so many hours of pleasure reading. Keep the books coming!

Andrew Greely never fails to disappoint his fans and this book is no exception! I found this tale to be exceptional. I kept asking myself, "What if? What if I knew my time on earth was limited, what would I change?" R.A. Neenan is confronted by Michael an angel resembling Michael Jordan, who contracts with Neenan in changing his life before his impending death. Neenan must completely change each close familial relationship in his life, which has become damaged due to his quest for more power, conquests and more money.

Greely intertwines his descriptive and lively characters around two equally lively and descriptive angels, doing all they can to insure Neean turns his life around. Greely combines adventure, suspense, mystery and romance for one memorable tale of hope and the message of God's love ever present in our lives. His message of forgiveness, love, and renewal bring one back to the realization that we are never alone, we are never forgotten and that we are loved.

I thoroughly recommend this book and you will have to read the book for the suspenseful ending! Another treat for Greeley fans!

"Irish Lace" with it's beautiful irish quips and sayings constantly brought me back to the green pastures of Ireland. I thought that the relationship that Dermott and Nuala Anne shared refreshing. My only criticism was that some of the "reports" sounded too much like a history lectures and didn't really integrate well with the modern aspects of the book. Although, I really don't think that was the case for 'Titia's letter, which I enjoyed immensely. Overall, I felt like I'd lost a friend when it ended.

Continuing the saga from "Irish Gold," Nuala and Dermot once again find themselves solving a mystery. However, the true mystery that is unfolding is the one surrounding their relationship. Greeley works his magic again making it difficult to put this one down. In fact, it took me only a week to read it. And I would recommend it to anyone. But, first read "Irish Gold" so you will fully understand and appreciate Nuala and Dermot.

My first book by Andrew Greenly was "Irish Gold" and I could not wait to read "Irish Lace". What really interested me was the information on the Civil War. I was not aware that there were prison camps during this period and of the suffering that occured. Did the government hide it or am I naive on the subject? Nuala is the most enjoyable character that I have been exposed to. The Sunnyvale library closed for the summer for renovations, and I checked out five books, all by Andrew Greenly.