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Rating: 
Summary: a different look to the ICEL text
Review: For those who are absolute beginners to the Liturgy of the Hours, this is perhaps not the most helpful text, though I happen to think the difficulty of learning how to pray the prayer of the Church is exaggerated. Yes this, the Pauline edition, does have an Ordinary, as the Catholic Book Publishing Co. version does. And yes, it does come with a leaflet guide. However, this particular guide does not have the daily detail of the C.B. Publishing one that comes out every year. Also this book has no supplement for recent additions and changes in the Church calendar. That being said, for those who might be familiar with the look of the Cath.Bk.Publishing version (you know, those books in the vinyl reddish covers that wrinkle when you stuff them into bookcovers), this edition gives a different look to the same old US official ICEL text. I myself miss the two color print and the Virginia Broderick symbolic illustrations, but I do NOT miss not having the antiphon printed both before and after a psalm. (the "red book version" generally only prints the antiphon before its psalm, so page ruffling becomes a distraction.) This edition includes more information on each page by varying fonts, sometimes half a dozen different typefaces per page. This gives a busy look to things but I have found in the few days that I have owned this edition that I have done much less page ruffling and find the 4 (not 5) sewn-in ribbons quite adequate for reference. It has a smaller "handprint" than the red book version, more like the fattest volume of the 4 volume LOH edition and it boasts a very study hardcover. Not a very elegant hardcover, much like what my old town library used to get when they sent away soft books to be treated to hardcovers, but it has a great heft. I have felt no need to buy a spiffy zipper cover for mine yet. If you think such considerations are unimportant, try the large print red book version. UGH! I gave that one away. In short, RECOMMENDED, with the above qualifications. PRAY!
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Summary: A Great Devotion for Christians
Review: I am a layman who has been praying the office for about three years now, and have found that it does help you establish a prayerful rhythmn throughout the day and keep you mindful of God and your fellow Christians.This book has morning, daytime, evening and night prayers, with a compressed Office of Readings (you'll need the 4-volume Breviary for the full Office). It can be a little hard to get started with the Liturgy of the Hours, and some people may get frustrated. I'd suggest finding someone to help you get started--priests, deacons, and religious (e.g., nuns and brothers)all say the Liturgy, and some laymen too. Keep in mind that the Liturgy of the Hours has its roots in the Hebrew tradition of praying seven times a day, so this is a way to pray like Jesus and the earliest Christians. While traditionally the Liturgy of the Hours has been considered more the domain of priests and religious, I think it can help satisfy a much wider need. A lot of people (including myself) have a lot of respect for the rigorous prayer life of Muslims, who pray five times a day--and I think many want to imitate that discipline as well. This is a very old Christian discipline that may help people satisfy that desire, and I hope that more people will discover the Liturgy of the Hours.
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Summary: A smaller version of the Liturgy of the Hours
Review: This is a great book to help improve and deepen one's prayer life. However, if one is unfamiliar with the Liturgy of the Hours, there is little instructional material here to help get started.
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Summary: A smaller version of the Liturgy of the Hours
Review: This is a great book to help improve and deepen one's prayer life. However, if one is unfamiliar with the Liturgy of the Hours, there is little instructional material here to help get started.
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