Life

My Story Through History

Pope Francis, Aubrey Botsford

• Publisher: HarperOne
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN:
  9780063387546
• eBook ISBN:
  9780063387553
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Political Biographies

POPE FRANCIS' DEBUT MEMOIR · A moving, deeply human account of the life and legacy of one of the bravest and most visionary leaders in modern history—A must read for all generations in a world yearning for hope and change

For the first time, Pope Francis tells the story of his life in this landmark inspirational biography as he looks back on the momentous world events that have changed history—from his earliest years during the outbreak of World War II in 1939 to the turmoil of today. An extraordinary personal and historical journey, Life is the story of a man and a world in dramatic change. A champion for the oppressed and marginalized—and the future of our planet—Pope Francis has inspired all of us to take action to alter the course of history toward a more loving and humane trajectory.

With eloquence, passion, and humility, Pope Francis recalls his life through memories and observations of the most significant occurrences of the past eight decades. This sweeping look at 20th-century history opens with three-year-old Jorge in the kitchen with his mother in Argentina as World War II breaks out, and he goes on to witness several historic events:

•     The fall of the Berlin Wall
•     Videla's coup in Argentina
•     The moon landing in 1969
•     And even the 1986 World Cup in which Maradona scored the unforgettable "hand of God" goal.

Here are the frank assessments and intimate insights of a pastor reflecting on the Nazi extermination of the Jews, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the 2001 terrorist attack on America and the collapse of the Twin Towers, the great economic recession of 2008, the Covid-19 pandemic, the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI, and the subsequent conclave that elected him Pontiff from inside the Vatican.

The "pope callejero" recounts these world-changing moments with the candor and compassion that distinguishes him, sharing his views on the future of the Catholic Church and offering important messages on major crises confronting us now, including social inequalities, climate change, international war, atomic weapons, racial discrimination, political unease, and the battles over social and cultural issues. An innovative change agent and a profoundly empathetic leader, the late Pope's words and vision live on in this unforgettable account of a religious and humanitarian legend. 

"We must learn from our elders what our planet has experienced, so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past."—Pope Francis 

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter I: The Outbreak of World War II
• Chapter II: The Extermination of the Jews
• Chapter III: Atom Bombs and the End of the War
• Chapter IV: The Cold War and McCarthyism
• Chapter V: Landing on the Moon
• Chapter VI: The Videla Coup in Argentina
• Chapter VII: The Hand of God
• Chapter VIII: The Fall of the Berlin Wall
• Chapter IX: The Birth of the European Union
• Chapter X: The Terrorist Attacks on September 11
• Chapter XI: The Great Economic Crisis
• Chapter XII: The Resignation of Benedict XVI
• Chapter XIII: The COVID-19 Pandemic
• Chapter XIV: A History Yet to Be Written
• Works Cited
• About the Authors
• About the Translator
• Copyright
• About the Publisher