The Cathedral Book Club meets on Thursday, February 8, 2024 in the West Conference Room, 7 - 8pm, to discuss "Absolution," by Alice McDermott.

Fr. Jack Hurley notes that already this novel is listed as one of the top works of 2023. Using the Vietnam War as background, it can be compared and contrasted with Graham Greene's "The Quiet American."

The America magazine review by Fr. Robert Lauder notes that McDermott once claimed that she "believed that every sentence she wrote was influenced by her Catholic faith." He adds that he now believes what she said. Furthermore, he suspects that "The Catholic novel will never disappear as long as McDermott continues to write."

Alice McDermott lives locally and has taught at John Hopkins.

Let's get reading so you can join the discussion of "Absolution."