Michael Walsh Books

The narrative centers on a tragic event during World War II when the British troop ship HMT Rohna was attacked by German bombers on November 26, 1943. Carrying over 2,000 U.S. servicemen, the ship was part of a convoy that initially withstood the assault. However, a final attack by a technologically advanced glide bomb led to devastating losses, resulting in the deaths of 1,015 servicemen. The harrowing rescue efforts that followed highlight the chaos and heroism amid the tragedy at sea.

Michael Walsh’s poetry collection Creep Love explores a family contending with a complex and ongoing crisis, the aftermath of which creates a shockwave that reverberates through these poems. Stories, half-truths, and lies combine into disturbing fable: A young pregnant woman flees her abusive boyfriend only to discover with terror that he is focused on her younger sister. When her younger sister later gives birth to her abusive ex’s other sons, the unsettling presence of the child’s father becomes unavoidable, and the family soon forces the first son to become a family secret. We come to find out that the father carries a secret of his own. As tensions rise, attacks within the family escalate and finally culminate in an attempted murder. In Creep Love, Walsh captures the terror of this event, and these poems take us through the surprising outcomes. Near death, rather than floating into light due to hypoxia—a temporary release from the grip of compounding trauma—the speaker sinks into all-encompassing darkness. The anxiety of this moment returns him to his body from the edge of death. These poems give witness to the fallout, demonstrating how love can be charged with something ultimately unknowable.  

From the most basic terms to the structures and practices of the Church, this book offers a plain-speaking introduction to Roman Catholicism. Now in a second edition, it contains new sections on relations with other faiths, coverage of recent controversies in the Church and an expanded section on social teaching. It covers: Roman Catholic beliefs and traditions practices and devotional life - rituals, prayer, mass Church structures and authorities - from Vatican to parish church Church hierarchies and people - from bishops to the laity the role of the Church in society. With a glossary, further reading sections and reference to official documents of the Church, this is the perfect guide for students approaching the study of Roman Catholicism for the first time.

An anthology of queer nature poetry spanning three centuries.   This anthology amplifies and centers LGBTQIA+ voices and perspectives in a collection of contemporary nature poetry. Showcasing over two hundred queer writers from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century, Queer Nature offers a new context for and expands upon the canon of nature poetry while also offering new lenses through which to view queerness and the natural world.   In the introduction, editor Michael Walsh writes that the anthology is “concerned with poems that speak to and about nature as the term is applied in everyday language to queer and trans bodies and identities . . . Queer Nature remains interested in elements, flora, fauna, habitats, homes, and natural forces—literary aspects of the work that allow queer and trans people to speak within their specific cultural and literary histories of the abnormal, the animal, the elemental, and the unnatural.” The anthology features poets including Elizabeth Bishop, Richard Blanco, Kay Ryan, Jericho Brown, Allen Ginsberg, Natalie Diaz, and June Jordan, as well as emerging voices such as Jari Bradley, Alicia Mountain, Eric Tran, and Jim Whiteside.  

This acclaimed papal Who's Who presents biographical accounts in chronological order of all the officially recognized popes from St. Peter to Pope Benedict XVI, with a new and expanded entry on Pope John Paul II. Providing a continuous history of the papacy, it also includes their irregularlyelected rivals, the so-called 'anti-popes,' and an appendix discussing the legendary existence of a female pope, named Joan. Each papal and anti-papal entry covers family, social background, and pre-papal careers, as well as activities in office, and is arranged chronologically. The Dictionary ofPopes presents a continuous history of the almost 2,000 year existence of the papacy, revealing how, for much of that history, spiritual and temporal power have ben inextricably mingled in the person of the pope.

Stating the Sacred offers a novel approach to nation-state formation, arguing that its most critical element is how the state sacralizes the nation. Focusing primarily on China, Michael J. Walsh argues that the foundational role of the sacred makes all nation-states religious states.

Featuring a comprehensive collection of approximately 7,000 Saints and Blesseds, this publication uniquely covers both Eastern and Western traditions. Entries are organized alphabetically, with chronological listings for those sharing names. Each entry provides essential details such as birth and death dates, family background, and the saint's notable contributions, including patronage. Additionally, it includes possibly mythical figures like Barbara and Christopher, highlighting their significance in art and literature. This work stands out as the most complete and accurate "Dictionary of Saints" available.

Set in the post-World War II era, the book explores America's paradox of military dominance coupled with cultural insecurity. It delves into the influence of European intellectuals, particularly the Frankfurt School, on American elites in New York and Washington. The narrative examines how these ideas, stemming from a defeated Europe, shaped American thought and culture, highlighting the complexities of adopting foreign philosophies in a nation grappling with its identity and values.

Traces the life of the famous modern British composer, and looks at the production of each of his musicals

A blistering narrative of one of the most exciting periods in British history that will appeal to readers of historical fiction and non-fiction alike.