NEWS IN REVIEW

Peter Hebbethwaite’s review of Penny Lernoux’s “People of God” was beneath your usual standards. Knowing your preference for “authority” reviewers who are authors or chairs of commissions and universities, I can see why you chose Lernoux’s colleague at the Reporter, but I don’t know why you persisted in printing the review you received. We find out very little about the book reviewed, much more about the book reviewer.

I disagree with much of Lernoux’s thesis, but I think she makes a cogent case and the review you ran failed to do it justice.

JOHN PAUL ARNERICH

LOS ANGELES