A book that sheds light on modern times and the pontificate of Pope Francis[Aleteia loves books but recognizes that a world busy with social media doesn’t afford many prompts to that old conversation-starter, “Read any good books lately?” So, we’re asking it in this space. Here, seminarian Zeger Polhuijs shares what he has on his bedside table. – Ed.]
“I am currently reading Liquid Modernity by Zygmunt Bauman,” says Zeger. “I began reading it after the death of sociologist Zygmunt Bauman last month. I decided I needed to get into his work deeper after having heard him speak at a meeting organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio in the City of Assisi last September (in which Pope Francis also participated).”
Does he like the book?
“It’s tough reading at times,” Zeger says. “But [it] really helps to understand the way our world and culture is moving today as well as the issues and problems to which Pope Francis is responding in his pontificate. It also helps to better understand Bauman and the track on which he started, which eventually led him into dialogue with Pope Francis during the last years of his life.”
