Thy Brother's Wife

Passover #1

by Andrew M. Greeley

The direction of Paul and Sean Cronin's lives was shaped the day their father, a self-made multimillionaire, decided that one of his boys would grow up to be a cardinal while the other would become president of the United States.

For his elder son, Paul, the father had even chosen a wife―the beautiful Nora, who had come to the Cronin home as an orphan child years before. Obediently, and with a genuine vocation, the younger son, Sean, went into the priesthood. With a more cynical view, Paul went to Notre Dame to prepare for a life in politics until the Korean War intervened. Then came the news―Paul Cronin was missing in action.

"If he dies," Sean's father told him, "you must leave the seminary and marry Nora." The words sang in Sean's head. Could he renounce his sacred calling―and marry the girl he had always loved?

Long out of print, Thy Brother's Wife is a classic tale by one of America's most loved storytellers.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Chick Lit, Catholic, Modern, Mystery Thriller

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Andrew Greeley was a Roman Catholic priest, sociologist, journalist, and author of 50 best-selling novels and more than 100 works of nonfiction. For decades, Greeley entertained readers with such popular characters as the mystery-solving priest Blackie Ryan and the fey, amateur sleuth Nuala Anne McGrail. His books typically center on Irish-American Roman Catholics living or working in Chicago.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/andrew...

Reviews

[Mike Starling · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very brave and open minded book. Delved deeply into the challenges and weaknesses of the priesthood. Got very involved in dysfunctional families, as you could expect from the title. So far I have really enjoyed Father Greely's work and read a lot of his locked room crime stories and his Irish Mist series. Inspiring and fun.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is not a single character in this book that I really liked. In fact, I was pretty happy to see bad things happen to a few of them. And while I'm not entirely happy with the ending, I do think this is a well-written, if too often slow-moving book. I don't know if I'd be likely to recommend it widely because those who are religious may be offended, and those who are not may be bored. I found it pretty interesting for the most part, though.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story covering 30 years of the Cronin family, from the 50's to the 80's. We see the complex story of their family, the Catholic Church, and US politics. I enjoyed this book and read it all in one day.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that got me interested in reading again after many, many years. Greeley has a great love for good words. This book will stay will you a long time. (I read this years ago, but probably will read it again soon.)

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some more nostalgic trash for me. Shocking when originally published, now I'm mostly struck by the fact that the male characters Greeley meant to be "charming-but-rather-evil" actually have aged fairly well into "evil-but-still-slightly-sympathetic." The protagonist's brother especially has a very believable slide from lazy and entitled to irredeemable. The main character, doubting priest Sean Cronin, is one of Greeley's better characters, and the arc following him from rather conservative to much more radical and humane is gripping. Flawed by a low-key 60's-liberal racism and a quite high-key homophobia (Sean throws some abhorrent slurs into his discussion of gay men, and it's definitely not meant to be a sign of his intolerance; Greeley was 100% with him on that), it's not really a book I'd recommend to anyone these days, but my fondness for it lingers.

[F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greeley, the author, intentionally had three major "unknowns" in the storyline of this novel. (1) Who was Sean's biological father -- the "father of record" Michael, or the priest who was claimed to be visiting Sean's mother, perhaps more than normal? (2) Who was "little Mickey's" biological father --Sean or Paul? (3) everyone questioned whether Paul's boating death was accidental or intentional suicide, and the reader doesn't know the answer to that question either. Normally, I am somewhat upset there are some "dangling intrigues", but that is not the case with this novel. The manner in which the storyline was penned, I think Greeley meant for the reader to decide his/her own answers even if the answers were not there in print.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read this one that I think I read back in high school. It seemed a lot racier then. ;-)
Still an interesting story about brothers whose father pushes them into their fields...one a priest, destined to be a cardinal, the other told will be president. Both brothers struggle with their paths, their relationships, and their duty to their father. Oh, and with their "adopted" sister...whom the politician marries, and the priest loves.
A quick read, but I don't think I'll be re-reading any of this other books.

[Angie Lora Meza · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 estrellas
Esperaba algo mejor, algo diferente a lo es el libro en general, sin embargo le pongo 2,5 estrellas porque había algo en el que no me dejaba leerlo, quería saber como terminaban lo personajes

[Wendi Enright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read similar to Rich Man/Poor Man.

[Nahidul Islam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story with beautiful ending.

[Santhi Moine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A particular kind of reader - does it help being Catholic I believe it does. I read it over a period of 2 weeks and cried at the end.

[BAGNULO MARCELLO · Rating 3 out of 5]

La storia di un amore impossibile tra un prete e una donna che è anche sua cognata. Ci sarà anche un delitto sulla strada di questa coppia, ma forse l'amore è più grande di tutto.

[Eme · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Edición 1983

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

Controversial and makes one ponder.

[Kawthar Ismail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

For an ebook on priests and politicians it's really a good read
There's a love story. A rich man. 2 brothers.

[Wendy Wong Schirmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Second Vatican Council-- and its subsequent impact on the Catholic Church in America-- is the focus and pivot of this interesting and sobering novel. In Henry Morton Robinson's "The Cardinal," we see the Church just before Vatican II from the vantage points of Rome and America. Andrew Greeley's "Thy Brother's Wife," by contrast, is centered on the Cronin family from Chicago-- and an intimate portrait of problems that beset the Domestic Church.

Its depiction of the Cronins is arresting, not least because of his frank, but not pornographic or gratuitous, treatment of sex inside and outside of marriage, and also in relation to priestly celibacy. The National Catholic Register once referred to Greeley as "the dirtiest mind ever ordained." But when viewed with an imagination that is authentically Catholic and orthodox, what emerges is an understanding that sex is good, not bad. ...what is either sinful or not is how we treat it, according to our station-- and vocation-- in life. Eros properly understood, writes Benedict XVI in "Deus Caritas Est," must be recognized, but rightly and gently educated and integrated holistically into a person's life, not repressed or denied.

"Thy Brother's Wife" is intriguing with regard to how God can and does write straight with crooked lines. In his treatment of the Cronin family, Greeley examines God's Presence, God's providence... and also God's justice. It's too bad that a modern American parable like the one Greeley has arguably written is... cheapened by a somewhat trashy book cover (but then again, that might well be saying something about what "grabs" us in American pop culture, too).

His characters struggle with the modern world, the American Dream, the Church in America (or the American Church...), with belief and unbelief in God, and with the nature of piety. But unlike Robinson's more explicit treatment of specific sins, like pride and lust, and how a priest who is overworked and does not find time to pray lays himself wide open for temptation, Greeley shows but does not tell. Thomistic and Augustinian insights also come together to deliver a one-two punch: Greeley is clear on how what we choose has consequences, and the results of being hardened by habitual sin. His treatment of the twists and turns in the workings of a guilty conscience is especially vivid: heart and mind that lurch back and forth, seeking purchase in almost everything other than what can truly give them rest and balance. Not surprisingly, the center cannot hold. In the words of St. Augustine: "Lord, you have made us for Yourself. Our hearts are restless until they rest in You."

[Ichika27 · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an okay read, I guess. It felt kind of tedious to read sometimes and it took me a long while to finish reading (compared to how fast I could finish reading other books).

I don't know how to feel about this book. It wasn't written badly but the story itself and how things went... I don't understand how I should feel. The characters keep going from 'likable' to 'annoying' and I rooted for them sometimes and sometimes I want them to get hit by karma. I'm not that religious and I'm not offended by any of the stuff that happened in the story regarding that. I actually rooted for Sean to end up with Nora but I guess it just isn't an ending option.

As for how things really ended. I'm not happy with it. I don't get why it should end that way. I mean yeah, if they can't end up together I get it but Sean getting forced to making a different decision in his life that he adamantly didn't want anymore. Not sure if this was supposed to be a happy ending.

Anyways, I thought the contents would be more explicit and stuff with the cover and summary and all but it was really more drama and the romance is just that. It was romance. It wasn't bad but I won't wanna read it again.

[Miguel Ángel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was quite interesting but I don't think this is recommended for religious people, specially catholic ones.

The story was well written and a quite curious thing happened to me while I was reading this book and it was that none of the characters were good enough to love, they all made terrible mistakes in their lifes and the lifes of most of them ended up quite wrong, which was expected.

It was a good slow- reading story but you have to have an opened mind without any religious prejudice to learn to like this kind of novels.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I neither loved nor hated this book. Basically i have no feelings at all towards it, it was just an eh...kind of book. I did find the author's take interesting on making and keeping commitments and perhaps not having to be perfect in those commitments in the eyes of God. I was confused on if he was saying: no matter how unhappy you are, you made your bed now lie in it, or if he was stating you can fudge according to God's rules and its ok. Dunno. I had to take it with a a grain of salt in accordance with my own beliefs.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew M. Greeley, PB-B @ 1983, 9/83. A millionaire father demands that his youngest son is to join the priesthood and become a cardinal, while the oldest son is to marry an orphan girl who was a ward of the family and become the President of the United States. But while they are achieving their father's goals, the Korean War breaks out and presidental hopeful must serve. Father insists that if he is killed, the priest must leave the order, and marry the girl. Good.

[Theut · Rating 1 out of 5]

Difficile dare un voto a questo libro :P
Come trash reading, merita un 10: storia banale, piatta, con un vocabolario max di 300 parole usate... Pagina 311, che da il senso a tutto il romanzo, mi ha assolutamente colpita (in negativo :P).
Che dire? Spero che questo bookring avrà un lungo e duraturo successo ;)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of intrigue and gives us an idea of the Cardinal's roots. Too much sex for me, but at least he didn't get into all the gory details. The mystery was well woven throughout the book. Makes you want to open all the closets and shake out the skeletons!

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average story of secrets among members of a rich successful family. This book might have been slightly scandalous when written, especially since its author is a Catholic priest, but it seems "old hat" today.

[Mirella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was just okay. I didn't finish it with any great feelings or revelations. It was just a mediocre entertaining read. A little on the predictable side.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago (early 80's), so I could not give an accurate review. I have it marked in my records as a "very good read".

[David Horney · Rating 4 out of 5]

sean cronin's backstory. greeley was still a young author--fiction wise but you can see his familiar framework taking shape.

[Rose]

Passover #1

[Rose]

Too long ago, don't remember much but any Andrew Greeley book usually is good.

[Sara Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story and characters, with passion and so much interest. One of Greeley's better mysteries.

[Marla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this years ago and I don't know why I thought that I wouldn't be offended by a priest having an affair, and of course, I disliked the book and thought it was in poor taste.