How to Be a Saint
An Extremely Weird and Mildly Sacrilegious History of The Catholic Church's Biggest Names
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4.4 • 5 Ratings
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
Part history lesson. Part sacrilege. An entirely good time.
Think you have what it takes to be a saint? Lucky for you, thousands of souls have paved the way to heaven—creating a clear formula for getting the job done while also leaving a rich, disturbing history behind them. And in just five easy-ish steps, you can learn how to secure your own halo!
But even if the whole “dying and becoming a saint” thing doesn’t appeal to you, the bizarrely bureaucratic process of canonization is still guaranteed to delight and entertain. How to Be Saint is a compulsively readable and endlessly entertaining ride through Catholicism for anyone who enjoys their history with a side of comedy. From flying friars to severed heads, this book explores the wild lives (and deaths) of saints and pulls the curtain back on the oddest quirks of religious doctrine.
Whether you’re a lifelong Catholic or a weird-history enthusiast, How to Be a Saint is your ultimate guide to understanding the hilarious, fascinating, and shockingly true history of sainthood.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Late Show writer Sidley debuts with a delightfully irreverent rundown of Catholic saints and beliefs. Loosely framing the book as a guide to canonization ("Heaven has received many talented applicants for sainthood over the course of forever, so it may take a while to process your application.... On the plus side there's no concept of time in heaven"), Sidley lays out the basics of Catholic doctrine and the steps required for sainthood, beginning with dying and concluding with performing a posthumous miracle (the most common of which are medical—"healings, cures, restoration of lost abilities... basically anything that would make a great episode of House"). Interspersed throughout are discussions of specific saints, including those who probably weren't real (St. Christopher), "nepo baby" saints (St. Basil the Great's entire family–"enough for a bobsled team, including alternates"—is canonized), and who rejected marriage (like St. Agatha, who's "unfortunately commemorated with cakes shaped like her lopped-off tits"). Sidley's ribald tone is rooted in a genuine affection for her subject that shines through in the granular, informative, and sometimes bizarre details she shares about Catholic tradition. Readers will enjoy themselves.
