Book Review - Meet John XXIII: Joyful Pope and Father to All - by Patricia Treece

This book was written in 2008, before Pope John XXIII became a saint, as declared by Pope Francis. I always wanted to learn more about John XXIII, since his declaration of the Second Vatican Council had such a great influence on the modern Church that we know today.  John XXIII, served in WWI and was stationed in Greece during most of WWII.  He served as a diplomat for the Vatican in Bulgaria and Turkey, two countries with very small Roman Catholic populations.  The Cardinals were looking for an older, transitional pope who would not shake things up very much.  John did not live very long after declaring the Second Vatican Council.  In fact, he died before its completion.  But his legacy is very much felt today.  The book talks a lot about his childhood, his family of origin, and his years as a priest.  A very interesting read.  This is not a scholarly book written for the academic, but rather written for the average person to learn more about this influential pope.