Bookshelf.

The American Catholic Voter: Two Hundred Years of Political Impact George J. Marlin & Michael Barone (St. Augustine's Press, 2004, 420pp)

While written from a conservative standpoint, this is a useful overview of how Catholic voters developed into one of the most courted constituencies during election cycles. Now, according to Marlin, despite the obsessive media attention, Catholics are either so assimilated or disunited that their impact is declining.

The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution Richard Dawkins (Houghton Mifflin, 2004, 688pp)

Dawkins never fails to provoke a reaction, and this quirky volume uses the structure of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to examine humanity's evolutionary path through 4 billion years. His arguments may be a powerful antidote to the ongoing attempts to force Intelligent Design and other opposing arguments into American schools.

Beyond Patching: Faith and Feminism in the Catholic Church (Revised Edition) Sandra M. Schneiders (Paulist Press, 200#, 136pp)

This is a fascinating, if brief, reflection on how the patriarchy and misogyny of the church hierarchy has alienated so many faithful women, concluding with a forthright demand for meaningful change.

A Catholic in the White House? Religion, Politics and John F. Kennedy's Presidential Campaign Thomas J. Carty (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, 224pp)

An excellent examination of the importance of the 1960 presidential election campaign that saw the first, and only, Catholic elected to the White House, with particular emphasis on the role anti-Catholicism played before then and has played since in American political life.

Clerical Celibacy: The Heritage William E. Phipps (Continuum, 2004, 288pp)

With the issue of clerical celibacy at the heart of so many debates over church reform, this is a timely and balanced look at the manufactured issue of celibacy, explaining why it emerged and what the substance of the current debate over reform is.

Common Calling: The Laity and Governance of the Catholic Church Stephen J. Pope (ed) (Georegtown University Press, 2004, 280pp)

A diverse collection of church reform proponents have contributed to this volume, examining the existing system, where the laity has almost no say in how the church is run, and how church law, correctly interpreted, could lead to a very different, inclusive and more equitable governing system.

Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized America Morris P. Fiorina, Samuel Abrams and Jeremy Pope (Longman, 2004, 128pp)

One in a series of Great Questions in Politics, this includes a fascinating chapter on abortion which compellingly makes the case that, far from being a deeply-polarized nation, the US is in fact a closely-divided, moderate nation.

Designer Children: Reconciling Genetic Technology, Feminism and Christian Faith Karen Peterson-Iyer (Pilgrim Press, 2004, 232pp)

Written from a feminist, Christian perspective, this is an excellent introduction to the different ethical issues surrounding genetic engineering.

Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives George Lakoff (Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2004, 144pp)

Lakoff calls on liberals to play the conservatives at their own game, developing messages and refraining debates to suit their own ends. While not a call to transform politics completely, his strategy is certainly a starting point for short-term gains.

Faith That Dares to Speak Donald Cozzens (Liturgical Press, 2004, 144pp)

A stirring call to the laity to regenerate the church from the core and overturn what Cozzens considers to be the last remaining feudal system in the West-the church hierarchy.

Jefferson and Madison on Separation of Church and State: Writings on Religion and Secularism Lenni Brenner (ed.) (Barricade Books, 2004, 456pp)

Perhaps the most complete recent collection of these two founding fathers' writings on this issue, and one that bears attention as the protections they supported between church and state are constantly assailed.

Married Catholic Priests: Their History, Their Journeys, Their Reflections Anthony P Kowalski (Caritas, 2004, 265pp)

Written by one of the founding board members of CORPUS, the Association of Married Catholic Priests, this is a very human look at the lives of married priests, their wives and families, and the humiliating treatment meted out to those who, despite their desire for family life, remain very committed to the church.

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II John Cornwell (Doubleday, 2004, 288pp)

The author is no stranger to controversy and this book does not disappoint. While sympathetic to the pope, Cornwell raises serious questions about the advisability of appointing a leader until death, especially one with such a forthright and unwavering worldview.

Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State David I. Kertzer (Houghton Mifflin, 2004, 357pp)

A fascinating account, based on new research in the Vatican's archives, of how the Vatican attempted to stymie Italian unification and a cautionary tale about the use of religious influence to peddle political power.

Pulpit and Politics: Clergy in American Politics at the Advent of the Millennium Corwin E. Smidt (ed) (Baylor University Press, 2004, 352pp)

This is a comprehensive look at the religious beliefs and political behavior of Baptist, Jewish, Protestant and Catholic clergy in America. While based on data gathered during the 2000 presidential election when most religious leaders, and especially Catholic ones, were more circumspect about their political desires than they were in 2004, it is nonetheless a valuable and insightful body of work.

Taking Sex Differences Seriously Steven E. Rhoads (Encounter Books, 2004, 362pp)

In the latest salvo in the "nature/nurture" debate, Rhoads asserts that sex distinctions remain deeply rooted in human nature, claiming that many differences between the sexes are "hardwired" into our biology including, he argues, an innate female quality that gives women a greater interest and talent in caring for babies.

Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II Jason Berry, Gerald Renner (Free Press, 2004, 368pp)

A superb report on the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic church that condemns the "vows of silence" protecting church leaders. It tells the story through an examination of the lives of two key players in the scandal: Ft. Thomas Doyle, the 'hero' who has railed against abuse since the early 1980s, and the 'villain' Fr. Marcial Maciel, the authoritarian founder of the ultra-conservative Catholic sect, the Legionaries of Christ, who has been accused of being a sadistic sexual predator.

Watch Me Grow: A Unique, 3-Dimensional Week-by-Week Look at Your Baby's Behavior and Development in the Womb Stuart Campbell (SL Martin's Press, 2004, 112pp)

The book that sparked the recent debate on abortion time limits in the UK and, as technical developments go, this is cute. Parents will no doubt be glad that the indistinct in utero photos we are used to may become a thing of the past, as the latest 3" and 4-D ultrasound scans give parents a clear "window into the womb," but whether they "change the abortion debate forever," as some have argued, is not entirely clear.

Wider than the Sky: The Phenomenal Gift of Consciousness Gerald M. Edelman (Yale University Press, 2004, 224pp)

With the ongoing question of when life begins continuing to dominate the abortion debate, this is a superb examination of the centrality of consciousness to the essence of humanity. While the author discusses recent findings in neuroscience and describes how consciousness arises in our brains, he does so in a way that draws readers in, while challenging us to grapple with complex ideas.

With God on Their Side: How Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy and Democracy in George W. Bush's White House Esther Kaplan (New Press, 2004, 322pp)

A strident and passionate (but well-reasoned and researched) rejection of the influence of fundamentalist Christians on public policy in the current administration.

Women's Rights in the USA: Policy Debates and Gender Roles Dorothy McBride Stetson (Routledge, 3rd edition, 2004, 426pp)

A comprehensive survey of the development of laws and policies that relate to women's lives in the arenas of work, education, family, sexuality and reproduction and will be a very useful addition to any collection.