A quarter of a century ago, the Catholic Church surprised the world by electing its first Polish pope, fifty-eight-year-old Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope John Paul II. The pontiff's charisma has made him a beloved figure even as he has struggled to represent and unite the disparate factions of the modern Catholic community. Published in cooperation with Der Stern, Germany's widest-selling weekly magazine, this timely book portrays the pope's complex personality and politics through texts by five internationally renowned authors, accompanied by a series of stunning photographs that survey his life and work.
