The Pen and the Cross

Rezensionen / Stimmen

'Particularly illuminating with respect to the differences between English and French traditions...Griffiths' book is an overview of a tradition that is still, in many respects, little known. His literary judgements are robust, and generally sensible.' 'Anyone who wants to understand what it is about traditional Catholicism that attracts so many converts and repels so many others will find Prof Griffith's book a thought-provoking, informative read.' 'Griffiths covers over a 100 years of religious poetry... an interesting survey' 'In The Pen and the Cross, Richard Griffiths takes on a vast topic. As a professor of French he brings a special competence to the work' 'The Pen and the Cross is a hugely enjoyable survey of the last 150 years of Catholic Literature.' 'Griffiths offers an overview of the contribution made by Roman Catholicism to English Literature... I was especially struck by his insight into English and French Catholic literature.' 'Richard Griffith's scholarly and immensely readable book deals not with the Roman Catholic Novel alone, but also with Catholic poetry.' The book is a really learned and sometimes brilliant discussion of the role and place of religion, especially of a self-conscious minority, in a nation's literature and the comparisons with France are illuminating. Griffiths usefully sketches... the difference between the circumstances facing Catholic writers in France and in England before, say, the Second Vatican Council of 1962-5. [a] beautifully presented study. Review in Evelyn Waugh Studies [A] fascinating study. * Years Work in English Studies, vol 91, no 1, 2012 *