Saints Preserve Us!

November 1, 1993
Who is the patron saint of arms dealers? Of oversleeping? If you were throwing a party, who would you invoke for new wine and the hangover the next morning? The answers are found in this lighthearted look at the saints written by former National Lampoon editor Kelly and New York humor writer Rogers. Approximately 585 saints are listed alphabetically and cross-referenced by birthdays, ethnicity, disease, and occupation (sailors seem to implore the saints most often). Most entries list some cruel and unusual torture leading to martyrdom, including hot nails driven through flesh, skinning alive, and the old standby, crucifixion. This guide won't replace Butler's Lives of the Saints, but it gives a fresh take on saint biographies.-- L. Kriz, Sioux City P.L., Ia.

Copyright 1993 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 1993
In this entertaining record of saints from "A" (Abdon--patron saint of barrel makers) to "Z" (Zoe--martyred in 135), Kelly and Rogers supply snatches of religious, family, and period history for hundreds of saints. They tell bizarre, moving, and incredible stories with a droll, occasionally derisive, wit; Kelly's background as a writer for "National Lampoon" and "Saturday Night Live" is in evidence. Extremely useful are the appendixes, which contain an annual calendar (with suggestions to look up today's saint or find a patron saint based on one's birthday) and a lengthy list of the saints to pray to for various issues, causes, careers, problems, recreational activities, and miscellaneous needs. The authors state that "they haven't made anything up" while admitting that their sources range from pious tomes to parochial school recollections. As if to compensate, many reputable books can be spotted in the bibliography. ((Reviewed Nov. 15, 1993))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1993, American Library Association.)