Author Anura Guruge has developed quite an interest in anything concerning the papacy. This, his second book related to the papacy, speculates about the next papal election, which could happen tomorrow or five years from now.

Guruge delves into the history of who has elected previous popes, as well as Pope John Paul II’s rules for electing a pope and other rules that preceded his. The author also explores the background of previous popes - who were members of religious orders, who were Italian, who were of the nobility, and other topics of note.

Guruge’s top ten possible candidates for the papacy of course change as time goes on; a website at www.popes-and-papacy.com is designed to keep this book up to date. Matt Kirkland caricatures the possible leading candidates for the papacy, and Guruge includes several black-and-white illustrations throughout the book. Information on how a papal election is conducted, the various names of previous popes, and several charts and tables of a variety of facts and trivia will be of interest to both the scholar and the general reader. This book is a must for those interested in anything about the papacy.