If Nuns Ruled the World

Ten Sisters on a Mission

By: Jo Piazza

Narrated by: Patrice O'Neill

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Veteran reporter Jo Piazza profiles 10 extraordinary nuns and the causes to which they have dedicated their lives - from an 83-year-old Ironman champion to a brave sister who rescues victims of human trafficking.

Meet Sister Simone Campbell, who traversed the United States challenging a Republican budget that threatened to severely undermine the well-being of poor Americans; Sister Megan Rice, who is willing to spend the rest of her life in prison if it helps eliminate nuclear weapons; and the inimitable Sister Jeannine Gramick, who is fighting for acceptance of gays and lesbians in the Catholic Church. During a time when American nuns are under attack from the very institution to which they pledge, these sisters offer inspiring, provocative counter-stories that are sure to spark debate.

Overthrowing our popular perception of nuns as killjoy schoolmarms content to live in the annals of nostalgia, Piazza defines them instead as the most vigorous catalysts of change in an otherwise constricting patriarchy.

©2014 Jo Piazza, Published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Beware!

I wanted to love this book. Patrice O'NEILL gives a very deft and sensitive performance. My serious problem comes at chapter seven which starts with a graphic description of particular scenes from a pornographic flick. The chapter is presumably about a Nun courageously seeking to give voice to the travail of trafficked women. The few sentences of the chapter I listened to (before stopping the audio), were I think leading up to contrasting the dour, respectable Nun against the horrors of the sex slavery industry. That's all well and good, certainly. Chapter Nine does come with a reasonable warning to sensitive reader. I bet it's about an amazing Nun, but I believed the warning.
SO BEWARE TO THOSE who practice guarding their hearts and mind, the pornographic description may be more graphic than you'd prefer even though you'll doubtless be glad indeed to have heard about these faithful warriors.
The marvelous Nuns described herein are most certainly on the front lines of very caustic battles. Their work deserves whatever renoun this book brings; absolutely their heavenly reward will reflect their valour.

A Revolutionary Collection of Stories

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to anyone! It does not matter if you subscribe to a religion or are an atheist- this book is about a lot more than what it means to be religious, it is about what it means to be a human. As a layperson I found this book fascinating and unique and I found the Nuns included in this book to be revolutionary and inspirational women.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes it was! I chewed through it pretty quickly and then went hunting for more information about the women in the book.

Awesome Nuns!

Every woman should read this book to be inspired to accomplish what they believe in. Also, to be empowered. This was a wonderful read.

Great Read

Story was very interesting and the narrator was very good. You get to learn alot about these Nuns

Great passtime

Great book, with empowering stories of 10 wonderful women. I would love for this book to be translated to my mother tongue so I could give it to some people! I'm not religious at all, but still enjoyed it very much.

Performance was seamless, I would listen to this reader again.