A good way to get closer to the Blessed Mother and gain a better understanding of the importance of the Rosary. Really is geared to the Catholic reader, but may provide insight to the non-Catholic, as well.

Part prayer book, part history book, and all fascinating. You can use this book, new from Ave Maria Press, in a variety of ways. In the introduction, the author encourages readers to explore different ways to approach the Rosary to “enrich your devotional life and enliven your faith with new insights” (6). Don’t skip the introduction to this book!

Each of the four parts of the book is devoted to a set of Mysteries of the Rosary. A short “A Mystery in History” reading begins each section. After that, the chapter for each mystery contains the answer to four questions:

What is (this mystery)?
Where was Mary?
What does it tell us about Jesus?
What aspects of this mystery should we imitate?
A brief meditation ends each chapter. At the end of the book, you’ll find a walk-through of the Rosary in one appendix, and a second one with those brief meditations all in one place so you can access them more easily as you pray.

A wonderful introduction to the history of and praying the Rosary. Papandrea's writing style is relaxed and at times conversational, which for me made this a joy to read. However, this style in no way detracts from the books ability to gently impart church history and theology to the reader. Highly recommended!

When my friend, Jim Papandrea, offered his followers the chance to preview and review his latest book, I jumped at the chance. I was not disappointed.

Each chapter covers one of the twenty mysteries of the Rosary. The structure of each chapter is the same: "What is [the mystery]?"; "Where was Mary?"; "What does it tell us about Jesus?"; "What aspects of this mystery should we imitate?"; a very short closing meditation.

So we are provided a solid explanation of the mystery in question (with an invitation to read the relevant Bible passage[s]), an exploration of Mary's particular role in the mystery (it is the Rosary after all!), insights on Jesus we can gain from the mystery (here we get some theology with accessible explanations), and, finally, practical application of some aspect(s) of the mystery in our daily lives.

The book closes with an appendix on how to pray the Rosary and another with a different set of meditations from those at the end of each chapter that can be of value while praying the Rosary.

While not a very long book (each mystery chapter is about five pages), it is probably not something that one would read before or during each Rosary prayed. Rather, it is worth reading through in advance (maybe over four days as one works through the mysteries in saying the Rosary). A good idea would be to highlight or, better, write down some of the concepts or your personal reflections and keep those with your Rosary so they can be referenced when praying the Rosary. It certainly could be read through again and again with profit, of course.

There are many books on the Rosary. This one is a good supplement to all the others in that it is written plainly in a contemporary tone with solid theological backing as well as interesting pious speculation and opinion. Readers can agree or disagree with the latter but it should provide fruit for one's own consideration of the mysteries and encouragement to engage each scene by placing themselves in it.

Recommended not only for the lover of the Rosary but also for the person who may have had trouble "getting into it" as it provides depth to the mysteries recalled in that long venerated and powerful prayer.

I want to thank Netgalley & James L Papandrea for my copy of Praying a Christ Centered Rosary: Meditations on the Mysteries, for an honest review. I say the Rosary every day and never really thought I needed a supplement to my prayers. It turns out that Praying a Christ Centered Rosary is the book I never knew, I always needed. It helps me focus on my prayers. It also helped me the mysteries and pray on the different points. I am so glad I was able to get a copy of this book. It was a five star read for me. I have ear marked many pages and have already re-read it. I know for a fact, that I will go to it over and over again. If you pray the Rosary, I would highly recommend, adding this book to your collection.

This prayer book brings the devotion of the Holy Rosary into the troubled world of the 21st century. The format of this book makes it possible to understand each of the mysteries in their historical context and how the events of these mysteries affected the lives of Jesus and Mary. I particularly enjoyed the sections that told me how to imitate each mystery in my life. By showing the Rosary's place in history, Papandrea is showing us how this humble tool has won revolutions for God in world history. The Rosary can and has been prayed throughout history as a form of protest which also brings about conversions to Christ. The Rosary was meant for all Christians, not just Catholics. This book reminds all Christians, that even though we are praying through Mother Mary, we are praying to God. The Rosary is the story of our salvation, the Gospels on beads. This book is unique in explaining what has already been implied for centuries about the Rosary. The Rosary meditations are historical and Christ centered. I reviewed this as an eBook for Net Galley. However I plan on purchasing many physical copies of this book to share with friends. I highly recommend, Praying a Christ-Centered Rosary.

This is a beautiful book with wonderful background information about the mysteries. While there is definitely a good deal of information, it isn't quite as in depth as I had expected. Even so I was still very pleased with the information and feel this will still help me in my devotions.

If you like the imprecise language, fuzzy thinking, and neologisms of your typical Catholic parish these days, you might enjoy this book. However typical insight in the chapters on the mysteries of the Rosary is on the level of waving hands around and saying "It's a mystery." I had hoped for more.

Each chapter begins with a description of the mystery in the Bible. After that follow sections on where both Jesus and Mary were during this mystery. The author creatively inserts Mary into many places where there is no evidence that she was present. I'm sure it has been helpful in the author's meditation, but it does not belong here, especially because it is presented as fact.

After these two sections, there is a longer section describing the significance of the mystery. These are the places where the fuzzy thinking and hand-waving come to the forefront. In some places, he gives the technical Latin term for something then translates it, but never actually explains it clearly. I had hoped for the wonderful insights I have gotten so many wonderful insights from Ave Maria books. But this one falls terribly short.

Each chapter ends with a meditation, very short, and not good starting points for the reader's own meditation.

While orthodox, this book is not worth it.

Jim Papandrea has written a book for the rosary-curious, but not quite rosary-expert; the Christian who is dipping his toes into his first steps as this branch of prayer warrior, calling upon our Lady, but doing so with both a solid intellectual grasp of the mysteries being conveyed, and practical steps to increase one's devotion to Christ. In it, I was able to find fresh approaches to the recitation, bringing these mysteries to life. Highly recommended.