A LIFE WITH KAROL

This intimate, affectionate portrait of Pope John Paul II by his longtimesecretary and confidant reveals fascinating new details about theopinions, hopes, fears, and dramatic life of this public man. "I had accompanied him for almost forty years: twelve in Kraków and thentwenty-seven in Rome. I was always with him, always at his side. Now, inthe moment of death, he'd gone on alone. . . .And now? Who is accompanyinghim on the other side?" —From A Life with Karol Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz worked side by side with Pope John Paul II foralmost forty years, enjoying unique access to both the public and privateman. In A life with Karol, he provides a close-up glimpse into the Pope'slife and the critical events of his papacy. Dziwisz was sitting next to the Pope during the assassination attempt in1981. He recounts the Pope's reaction to 9/11, describing his thoughts andfeelings on that day. And the Cardinal's moving description of the Pope'shaunting memories of World War II uncovers the roots of the pontiff'sintense opposition to George W. Bush's war on Iraq. The two men sharedmoments of fun and spontaneity as well. Dziwisz writes about the times thePope would slip out of the Vatican, wearing a Panama hat, to stroll thestreets of Rome, and he describes the clandestine ski and hiking trips thepair made to escape the Vatican. His firsthand account of the Pope's lastyears also reveals that John Paul II considered resigning. These storiesand others lend added poignancy to Dziwisz's extraordinary portrayal ofthe Pope's courage and calmness during his final illness.