La Violencia del Amor

Already published in English as The Violence of Love (Plough, 1998), this is a collection of homilies, letters, and articles originally written in Spanish by the late Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. James R. Brockman, who compiled this edition and translated the English-language edition of the book, is also the author of Romero: A Life. On March 24, 1980, while performing an evening mass, Romero became another victim of the state-sponsored paramilitaries. His murder came as no surprise to most Salvadorans, as Romero had walked a thin line between those who preferred a neutral stance in the ongoing civil war and those who believed that it was the Church's moral and religious duty to condemn state-sponsored terrorism. The book offers readers a clear sense of the violent conflict that engulfed El Salvador at the time and of the paths of peace and forgiveness advocated by Romero. Brockman's useful footnotes and chronological arrangement make this book essential reading for those interested in Romero's life, Salvadoran history, and Liberation theology. Recommended for public, academic, and research libraries, and bookstores. Jose O. Diaz, Ohio State Univ. Lib., Columbus