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1054 and All That: A Lighthearted History of the Catholic Church
REAL CATHOLIC HISTORY, PRESENTED WITH WIT AND AN "ATTITUDE"
From the first to the twenty-first century, here's all the Catholic history anyone can (or needs to) remember, with loads of laughs along the way.
Saints and sinners, popes and princes, councils and it's all here, in a way to lighten your heart, broaden your smile, and expand your knowledge.
It's real history, served up with unexpected extrapolations, curious confusions, and illustrious illustrations. (And look out for the footnotes!)
Your host is Karl Keating, author of more than twenty books, including top works of Catholic apologetics. He takes you on a whirlwind tour of the history of the Catholic Church, from its founding by its Founder up to our own era. He delights you with short accounts of long events, with explanations of the inexplicable, and with snapshots of the famous and the infamous.
It's all presented so winningly that this book is suitable for readers of all ages and all persuasions. You don't have to be Catholic to enjoy it, though (fair warning!) you might end up Catholic by the time you finish it.
From the first to the twenty-first century, here's all the Catholic history anyone can (or needs to) remember, with loads of laughs along the way.
Saints and sinners, popes and princes, councils and it's all here, in a way to lighten your heart, broaden your smile, and expand your knowledge.
It's real history, served up with unexpected extrapolations, curious confusions, and illustrious illustrations. (And look out for the footnotes!)
Your host is Karl Keating, author of more than twenty books, including top works of Catholic apologetics. He takes you on a whirlwind tour of the history of the Catholic Church, from its founding by its Founder up to our own era. He delights you with short accounts of long events, with explanations of the inexplicable, and with snapshots of the famous and the infamous.
It's all presented so winningly that this book is suitable for readers of all ages and all persuasions. You don't have to be Catholic to enjoy it, though (fair warning!) you might end up Catholic by the time you finish it.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
142 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2022
31 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Karl Keating
32 books43 followersKarl Keating (b. 1950), a prominent Catholic apologist and author, is the founder and president of Catholic Answers, a lay apostolate of Catholic apologetics and evangelization.
He received his undergraduate degree in Applied Math at UCSD in 1972 and went on to get a J.D. at the University of San Diego. He worked as an attorney practicing civil law in the early 1980s.
Leaving Mass one Sunday, he found anti-Catholic tracts on the windshields of the cars in the church parking lot. He wrote his own tract in reply and distributed copies of it at the Fundamentalist church responsible for the anti-Catholic tract. That was the start of what has become the country’s largest lay-run apologetics and evangelization organization.
Catholic Answers was incorporated in 1982, and in 1988 Karl left the practice of law and went into apostolic work full time. That year marked the publication of his Catholicism and Fundamentalism, the first book to deal extensively with challenges posed by “Bible Christians.” Other books followed: What Catholics Really Believe, Nothing But the Truth, The Usual Suspects, and Controversies. He is at work on several more titles.
For nine years Karl served as the editor of This Rock. He has been a columnist for the National Catholic Register and the Canadian Catholic Review and has written for many other publications. Each Tuesday he answers questions on “Catholic Answers Live.” His avocations include backpacking (his favorite locales are the High Sierra and the Grand Canyon) and flying.
He received his undergraduate degree in Applied Math at UCSD in 1972 and went on to get a J.D. at the University of San Diego. He worked as an attorney practicing civil law in the early 1980s.
Leaving Mass one Sunday, he found anti-Catholic tracts on the windshields of the cars in the church parking lot. He wrote his own tract in reply and distributed copies of it at the Fundamentalist church responsible for the anti-Catholic tract. That was the start of what has become the country’s largest lay-run apologetics and evangelization organization.
Catholic Answers was incorporated in 1982, and in 1988 Karl left the practice of law and went into apostolic work full time. That year marked the publication of his Catholicism and Fundamentalism, the first book to deal extensively with challenges posed by “Bible Christians.” Other books followed: What Catholics Really Believe, Nothing But the Truth, The Usual Suspects, and Controversies. He is at work on several more titles.
For nine years Karl served as the editor of This Rock. He has been a columnist for the National Catholic Register and the Canadian Catholic Review and has written for many other publications. Each Tuesday he answers questions on “Catholic Answers Live.” His avocations include backpacking (his favorite locales are the High Sierra and the Grand Canyon) and flying.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 14, 2025
Comical writing for a boring subject, and it held me interest.
did-not-finish
December 13, 2023DNF after part one. You actually have to know the Catholic Church history to follow this. While I could tell it was humorous, too much of it went over my head because I didn't understand the actual historical events. Would definitely recommend to someone who knows more about the history of the Catholic Church.
June 10, 2025
When I was asked to be the beta reader for this book, of course I was honored to do so. L laughed as much as I learned, and it doesn't get much better than that. I was also grateful to the publisher for including me in the testimonial page of the book, along with mention of my own book, Masaru. Thanks again, Karl. I hope to meet you on a hiking trail one day!
May 2, 2023
Flat
The lightheartedness just didn’t work and many times the author conveyed no information about a given person or point - just a name, a flat joke or two and nothing else.
Little history and little humor.
The lightheartedness just didn’t work and many times the author conveyed no information about a given person or point - just a name, a flat joke or two and nothing else.
Little history and little humor.
June 12, 2024
I laughed out loud through this whole book. Absolutely hilarious. Even if you don’t know much of the history of the church this book will pique your interest in lesser known subjects and people. And we all need a good laugh!!!!🤣
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews