Sister Maria Philomena

Share Profile

Sister Maria Philomena

Sister Maria Philomena’s book reviews

#3 in the series (Mike; Psmith in the City; Psmith, Journalist).

Most of this book is a reworking (often word-for-word) of newspaper portion of The Prince and Betty. The paper Peaceful Moments is renamed Cozy Moments and the characters have been re-worked to include Mike and Psmith.
06/26/2011
By What Authority is the middle of a trilogy that begins with The King’s Achievement and ends with The Queen’s Tragedy), but it can be read on its own. It is the story of neighbors, two brothers who grew up as Catholics next door to a Puritan boy and his sister during Elizabethan England. The book focuses on the Puritans and their search for truth.

Monsignor Hugh Benson has made a huge contribution to English Literature with his novels, and I think that this is one of his best. In fact, the writing of this book was the final step in Benson's own conversion to Catholicism.

Saint Edmund Campion, the famous English Jesuit martyr, is a central figure in this book -- an inspiration to one of the main characters, as well as to every reader.
12/01/2009
This is a decidedly immoral book, quite different from others by this author. I would be curious to know why she wrote it. The idea that marriage hampers an artist, that an expecting woman is not beautiful, that it is alright to kill a child . . . this is all very warped -- especially as this last is presented as a true sacrifice for Art.
11/04/2009
Another delightful Fleming Stone mystery.
10/24/2009
This is a very exciting spy adventure (leading up to WWI). (The sub-title is rather misleading.)
04/21/2009