John Gregory Dunne had a unique ability in his writing—fiction or not—to show the saintly and the sinner all at once.
Catholic Book Club
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Why we miss Tom Wolfe in the Trump-Biden era
Tom Wolfe would have loved to write about a debate between a billionaire former president who is also a convicted felon and an octogenarian sitting president whose public mental lapses are vociferously denied by many of his own confidantes.
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Fooling Hitler: Illustrator John Hapgood and the ‘Ghost Army’ of WW2
The longtime ‘America’ illustrator John Hapgood served in World War II in the “Ghost Army,” a unit dedicated to deception and trickery that ran 21 different ersatz military campaigns between D-Day and the surrender of Germany in May 1945.
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How Jürgen Moltmann’s ‘theology of hope’ inspired liberation theology
Jürgen Moltmann’s influence on theology extended far beyond his native Germany or his religious denomination. His “theology of hope” influenced everything from liberation theology to contemporary politics.
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How ‘America’ did (and didn’t) cover D-Day 80 years ago
As we prepare to celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-Day later this week, a look back at how ‘America’ covered the invasion then and in the years following.
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Jackie Robinson and the arc of justice in America’s national game
It has been 77 years since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball—and led his Brooklyn Dodgers to new heights in their final years in the borough.
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Poet, feminist and nun: Sister Madeleva Wolff’s ideal of the ‘well-rounded woman’
A poet and a woman religious whose work often appeared in America, M. Madeleva Wolff, C.S.C., is known for much more than her verse. She was also a pioneer in Catholic education in the United States.
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E. B. White is one of the most famous children’s book authors. But he should be better known for his essays.
I was well into adulthood before I realized the co-author of my battered copy of The Elements of Style was also the author of Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web.
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John Cogley: the man behind JFK’s controversial speech on his Catholic faith
John Cogley was once called “the most prominent American Roman Catholic journalist of his generation.” The onetime executive editor of Commonweal also played a key role in the election of J.F.K.
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Father Hootie McCown: Flannery O’Connor’s Jesuit bestie and spiritual advisor
James Hart “Hootie” McCown didn’t just have an amazing nickname. He was one of Flannery O’Connor’s best friends and spiritual advisors.