In the introduction of "A People of Hope," John Allen quotes a woman from Westchester County in New York who was moved to tears after a visit by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan to her parish. She said, "I'm a lifelong Catholic, but the last few years, it's been so hard ... with the sex -abuse scandals, with bishops who don't seem to listen, with all of it. I came tonight, not knowing what to expect, but this guy ... I don't know, somehow he just makes me feel good about being Catholic." Her reaction in a parish hall is what readers will probably feel after finishing this interesting and entertaining book. One feels good about being Catholic and knowing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is being led by Archbishop Dolan as president.