It's not a bad hagiography, just a rather summary one. Gives the basics, along with a few interesting insights, but not a lot of detail. If you know nothing at all about the man who became the first Pope declared a saint in centuries, then it's a helpful start. But if you're looking for detail about the conflicts he had to engage in (laicite in France or the battle against Modernism), you'll have to keep looking. ( )