Oscar Halecki (1891–1973)

4714. The Millennium of Europe, by Oscar Halecki (read 31 May 2010) (John Gilmary Shea prize for 1963) This book won the John Gilmary Shea prize for 1963 and is the reason I read it--it is the 8th such winner I have read. It is an erudite study of what the author calls the second Christian millennium, the start of which he places in the 10th century. I thought the book might be too 'heavy' for me but it became more interesting the further into it I got, and I could not but admire the author's sure command of his material. Near the end of the book he says "This does not necessarily mean that complete victory in the present struggle of ideas will be gained before the end of this century" (referring to the contest of the good guys against communism). The author died in 1973 so was not on earth to experience the great events of 1989 but we can be sure that he rejoiced over them in a better place. This is a book still worth reading.… (more)