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Rating: 
Summary: Actually, very well balanced if not clear
Review: "The Next Pope", though quite out of date now, is a very good and comprehensive study of the Catholic Church and how Popes are elected, and an attempt to give an idea of who the next Pope will in fact be.It covers, very well and in quite clear language, a history of the papacy from the time of Pius VIII (1829 to 1830) up to John Paul II's historically crucial letter "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis". Each conclave in that period is discussed very well and with quite reasonable language that I have found very helpful in gaining an understanding of where the papacy has travelled in recent centuries. The next part of the book looks at John Paull II and explains his thought. It does an easy-to-understand job that could, I feel, give a better understanding of his Polish nature. The last part written before Peter's death deals with "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis" and the reaction to it, however it fails unfortunately to reach the notes of Ratzinger about the infallibility of the document and to explain in simple, if for many harsh, language what this will mean for the next centuries of the Catholic Church. Margaret's article is a very detailed (compared to her late husband's) analysis of the College Of Cardinals as it was comprised in 2000. Though this is now completely out-of-date, contrary to what others have said about Margaret's writings, I find her very balanced in her exceedingly sensible admission that the next Pope can only be just as conservative as Wojtyla. She is very willing to face and accept the fact that many cardinal want an even more conservative papacy in the future, and looks at such cardinals as Dario Castrillon Hoyos and Rouco Vadela as possibilities for the next Pope. My main criticism of Margaret is that her language is so unclear and that she seem incomplete - it is as if one would need a detailed analysis of those cardinals who nobody, outside or inside the Vatican, would consider as possibilities for the papacy. Though out of date, this contains some useful information.
Rating: 
Summary: Must-Read for the Young Man-of-the-Cloth in a Hurry
Review: Pius VI, the Lyndon Johnson of the prelacy once observed, "pope's aren't elected - they're made." In "Next Pope," acclaimed papal handicapper Peter Hebblethwaite provides an insider's guide to contesting - and winning - the ultimate ecclesiastical election. If your sights are set on the papal suite, where should you study (surprise - not the Ivy league!)? Where should you socialize, and what interests should you cultivate? Hebblewaite lays out the path -from first mass to white smoke. The final chapter - "Life in the Key of See," is written for those who make the grade. It includes a detailed map of Vatican City, a handy list of common Latin phrases and greetings, and a trove of hat balancing tips that you?ll wish you?d read before even becoming a Cardinal.
Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile reading
Review: The most interesting part of the book for me was the first half where past conclaves in history are discussed. Some of the history is really fascinating. Although the tone of the book optimistically predicts a less severe papacy next time around, there is little evidence presented to back this up. The criticisms of John Paul II, while quite accurate, do little to help us understand who we might expect as the next pope. It is a well written book and very readable, but as time continues to go by and the current pope continues to live, the latter section on potential popes becomes less and less relevant due to the age restriction and deaths. Still, there is enough here to recommend a read.
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