-
Prisoner of the Vatican
- The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $18.91
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Kertzer brings to light an untold drama played out among fascinating characters: Pope Pius IX, the most important pontiff in modern history; King Victor Emmanuel, working behind the backs of his own ministers; the dashing national hero Garibaldi; France's ill-starred Napoleon III, and many more. During this time, Italy was besieged from within and without, and Church history changed forever when the pope was declared infallible for the first time.
Prisoner of the Vatican looks deep into the workings of the Church in its final bid to regain the pope's temporal power. Kertzer sweeps readers along with riveting, revelatory panache. No one who reads his new book will ever think of Italy, or the Vatican, in quite the same way again.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Pope Who Would Be King
- The Exile of Pius IX and the Emergence of Modern Europe
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Only two years after Pope Pius IX’s election in 1846 had triggered great popular enthusiasm across Italy, the pope found himself a virtual prisoner in his own palace. The revolutions that swept through Europe and shook Rome threatened to end the popes’ thousand-year reign over the Papal States, if not the papacy itself. The resulting drama was rife with treachery, tragedy, and international power politics. David Kertzer, one of the world’s foremost experts on the history of Italy and the Vatican, brings this pivotal moment vividly to life.
-
-
Imbalanced and theologically confused
- By A. Moran on 06-18-19
By: David I. Kertzer
-
The Pope and Mussolini
- The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From National Book Award finalist David I. Kertzer comes the gripping story of Pope Pius XI’s secret relations with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This groundbreaking work, based on seven years of research in the Vatican and Fascist archives, including reports from Mussolini’s spies inside the highest levels of the Church, will forever change our understanding of the Vatican’s role in the rise of Fascism in Europe.
-
-
It is not narrated well - the delivery does not keep it as captivating as this book should be
- By Karina Inigo on 07-14-15
By: David I. Kertzer
-
The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bologna, 1858: A police posse, acting on the orders of a Catholic inquisitor, invades the home of a Jewish merchant, Momolo Mortara, wrenches his crying six-year-old son from his arms, and rushes him off in a carriage bound for Rome. His mother is so distraught that she collapses and has to be taken to a neighbor's house, but her weeping can be heard across the city. With this terrifying scene - one that would haunt this family forever - David I. Kertzer begins his fascinating investigation of the dramatic kidnapping.
-
-
Too much detail
- By L. WILLIAM on 03-03-24
By: David I. Kertzer
-
The Popes Against the Jews
- The Vatican's Role in the Rise of Modern Anti-Semitism
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pope John Paul II, as part of his effort to improve Catholic-Jewish relations, himself called for a clear-eyed historical investigation into any possible link between the Church and the Holocaust. An important sign of his commitment was the decision to allow the distinguished historian David I. Kertzer, a specialist in Italian history, to be one of the first scholars given access to long-sealed Vatican archives. The result is a book filled with shocking revelations.
-
-
A stunning expose.
- By Paul on 03-05-22
By: David I. Kertzer
-
Every Drop of Blood
- Hatred and Healing at Lincoln's Second Inauguration
- By: Edward Achorn
- Narrated by: Adam Barr
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By March 4, 1865, the Civil War had slaughtered more than 700,000 Americans. After a morning of rain-drenched fury, tens of thousands crowded Washington’s Capitol grounds that day to see Abraham Lincoln take the oath for a second term. As the sun emerged, Lincoln rose to give perhaps the greatest inaugural address in American history, stunning the nation by arguing, in a brief 701 words, that both sides had been wrong, and that the war’s unimaginable horrors - every drop of blood spilled - might well have been God’s just verdict on the national sin of slavery.
-
-
New and fascinating
- By Clark Booth on 07-19-20
By: Edward Achorn
-
The Thirty Years War
- Europe's Tragedy
- By: Peter H. Wilson
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 33 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Thirty Years War devastated seventeenth-century Europe, killing nearly a quarter of all Germans and laying waste to towns and countryside alike. Peter Wilson offers the first new history in a generation of a horrifying conflict that transformed the map of the modern world.
-
-
Best Single-Volume History of the 30 Years' War
- By Amazon Customer on 10-09-23
By: Peter H. Wilson
-
The Pope Who Would Be King
- The Exile of Pius IX and the Emergence of Modern Europe
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Only two years after Pope Pius IX’s election in 1846 had triggered great popular enthusiasm across Italy, the pope found himself a virtual prisoner in his own palace. The revolutions that swept through Europe and shook Rome threatened to end the popes’ thousand-year reign over the Papal States, if not the papacy itself. The resulting drama was rife with treachery, tragedy, and international power politics. David Kertzer, one of the world’s foremost experts on the history of Italy and the Vatican, brings this pivotal moment vividly to life.
-
-
Imbalanced and theologically confused
- By A. Moran on 06-18-19
By: David I. Kertzer
-
The Pope and Mussolini
- The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From National Book Award finalist David I. Kertzer comes the gripping story of Pope Pius XI’s secret relations with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This groundbreaking work, based on seven years of research in the Vatican and Fascist archives, including reports from Mussolini’s spies inside the highest levels of the Church, will forever change our understanding of the Vatican’s role in the rise of Fascism in Europe.
-
-
It is not narrated well - the delivery does not keep it as captivating as this book should be
- By Karina Inigo on 07-14-15
By: David I. Kertzer
-
The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bologna, 1858: A police posse, acting on the orders of a Catholic inquisitor, invades the home of a Jewish merchant, Momolo Mortara, wrenches his crying six-year-old son from his arms, and rushes him off in a carriage bound for Rome. His mother is so distraught that she collapses and has to be taken to a neighbor's house, but her weeping can be heard across the city. With this terrifying scene - one that would haunt this family forever - David I. Kertzer begins his fascinating investigation of the dramatic kidnapping.
-
-
Too much detail
- By L. WILLIAM on 03-03-24
By: David I. Kertzer
-
The Popes Against the Jews
- The Vatican's Role in the Rise of Modern Anti-Semitism
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pope John Paul II, as part of his effort to improve Catholic-Jewish relations, himself called for a clear-eyed historical investigation into any possible link between the Church and the Holocaust. An important sign of his commitment was the decision to allow the distinguished historian David I. Kertzer, a specialist in Italian history, to be one of the first scholars given access to long-sealed Vatican archives. The result is a book filled with shocking revelations.
-
-
A stunning expose.
- By Paul on 03-05-22
By: David I. Kertzer
-
Every Drop of Blood
- Hatred and Healing at Lincoln's Second Inauguration
- By: Edward Achorn
- Narrated by: Adam Barr
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By March 4, 1865, the Civil War had slaughtered more than 700,000 Americans. After a morning of rain-drenched fury, tens of thousands crowded Washington’s Capitol grounds that day to see Abraham Lincoln take the oath for a second term. As the sun emerged, Lincoln rose to give perhaps the greatest inaugural address in American history, stunning the nation by arguing, in a brief 701 words, that both sides had been wrong, and that the war’s unimaginable horrors - every drop of blood spilled - might well have been God’s just verdict on the national sin of slavery.
-
-
New and fascinating
- By Clark Booth on 07-19-20
By: Edward Achorn
-
The Thirty Years War
- Europe's Tragedy
- By: Peter H. Wilson
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 33 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Thirty Years War devastated seventeenth-century Europe, killing nearly a quarter of all Germans and laying waste to towns and countryside alike. Peter Wilson offers the first new history in a generation of a horrifying conflict that transformed the map of the modern world.
-
-
Best Single-Volume History of the 30 Years' War
- By Amazon Customer on 10-09-23
By: Peter H. Wilson
Critic reviews
"Populated with a colorful cast of authentic historical figures, this fascinating slice of papal and Italian history will intrigue and enlighten both scholars and the merely curious." (Booklist)
"Kertzer, given access to newly opened Vatican archives, tells a first-rate tale of the political intrigues and corrupt characters of a newly emerging nation, offers history writing at its best, and provides insight into a little-known chapter in religious and political history." (Publishers Weekly)
Related to this topic
-
The Holy Bible: King James Version
- The Old and New Testaments
- By: King James Bible
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Prentice Onayemi, Ellen Archer, and others
- Length: 82 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This newer edition of the King James Bible published in 1769 is usually preferred by most that read it over the older 1611 version. This 1769 edition is highly sought after due to being more reader/listener friendly than the 1611 since many typos were fixed.... We hope your new audio bible will go everywhere with you and be a blessing for years to come.
-
-
Very Good
- By José de Ribera on 12-17-20
By: King James Bible
-
The Mastery of Self
- A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom
- By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
- Narrated by: Charlie Varon
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The ancient Toltecs believed that life, as we perceive it, is a dream. We each live in our own personal dream, and these come together to form the dream of the planet, or the world in which we live. Problems arise when our perception of the dream becomes clouded with negativity, drama, and judgment (of ourselves and others), because it's in these moments of suffering that we have forgotten that we are the architects of our own reality and we have the power to change our dream if we choose.
-
-
listen.. .then listen again
- By Casiano on 12-22-16
-
The Bhagavad Gita
- By: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord", is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's reliable and accessible version has consistently been the best-selling translation. Easwaran's introduction places the Gita in its historical setting and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions give clear explanations of key concepts in that chapter.
-
-
Content and narration reduced me to tears
- By Lauriesland on 01-11-16
By: Eknath Easwaran
-
Paranormal Activity
- True Tales of Possession
- By: Paramount Pictures
- Narrated by: Micah Sloat, Katie Featherston
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You may know Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat from Paranormal Activity, the 2007 found-footage horror film that launched a blockbuster franchise. Now, inspired by the fictional haunting that brought them together, the friends and former co-stars are examining real-life stories of demonic possession, tracing the phenomenon from its earliest known accounts to its modern-day headlines.
-
-
Great stories, great hosts!
- By AmandaJM on 08-02-24
-
The Books of Enoch: The Angels, The Watchers and The Nephilim
- With Extensive Commentary
- By: Joseph Lumpkin
- Narrated by: Dennis Logan
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The well-known and acclaimed work of Dr. Joseph Lumpkin has been enlarged to include new research on the Books of Enoch, Fallen Angels, the Watchers, and the Nephilim. After presenting extensive historical backgrounds and brilliant translations of The First, Second, and Third Books of Enoch, Lumpkin takes time to piece together a historical narrative of Fallen Angels, the Watcher, and the Nephilim, using his extensive knowledge of ancient texts.
-
-
Lose the echo effect
- By Mark Medbery on 10-29-17
By: Joseph Lumpkin
-
The Book of Enoch
- From the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament
- By: Robert Bagley III
- Narrated by: Steve Cook
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why is The Book of Enoch so important to anyone interested in Biblical history? The answer is simple: It is directly quoted in the New Testament by Jude (vv.14-15). Themes of the book referenced in 2 Peter 2:1. Jesus also used content from The Book of Enoch in many of his sermons in Matthew and Luke. In this text, you will hear the word of God through this amazing document. We will take this amazing journey together and learn why this text is not an official book of the Bible.
-
-
Amazing and disturbingly accurate celestial calc.
- By Susan I Carter on 12-05-17
-
The Holy Bible: King James Version
- The Old and New Testaments
- By: King James Bible
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Prentice Onayemi, Ellen Archer, and others
- Length: 82 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This newer edition of the King James Bible published in 1769 is usually preferred by most that read it over the older 1611 version. This 1769 edition is highly sought after due to being more reader/listener friendly than the 1611 since many typos were fixed.... We hope your new audio bible will go everywhere with you and be a blessing for years to come.
-
-
Very Good
- By José de Ribera on 12-17-20
By: King James Bible
-
The Mastery of Self
- A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom
- By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
- Narrated by: Charlie Varon
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The ancient Toltecs believed that life, as we perceive it, is a dream. We each live in our own personal dream, and these come together to form the dream of the planet, or the world in which we live. Problems arise when our perception of the dream becomes clouded with negativity, drama, and judgment (of ourselves and others), because it's in these moments of suffering that we have forgotten that we are the architects of our own reality and we have the power to change our dream if we choose.
-
-
listen.. .then listen again
- By Casiano on 12-22-16
-
The Bhagavad Gita
- By: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord", is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's reliable and accessible version has consistently been the best-selling translation. Easwaran's introduction places the Gita in its historical setting and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions give clear explanations of key concepts in that chapter.
-
-
Content and narration reduced me to tears
- By Lauriesland on 01-11-16
By: Eknath Easwaran
-
Paranormal Activity
- True Tales of Possession
- By: Paramount Pictures
- Narrated by: Micah Sloat, Katie Featherston
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You may know Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat from Paranormal Activity, the 2007 found-footage horror film that launched a blockbuster franchise. Now, inspired by the fictional haunting that brought them together, the friends and former co-stars are examining real-life stories of demonic possession, tracing the phenomenon from its earliest known accounts to its modern-day headlines.
-
-
Great stories, great hosts!
- By AmandaJM on 08-02-24
-
The Books of Enoch: The Angels, The Watchers and The Nephilim
- With Extensive Commentary
- By: Joseph Lumpkin
- Narrated by: Dennis Logan
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The well-known and acclaimed work of Dr. Joseph Lumpkin has been enlarged to include new research on the Books of Enoch, Fallen Angels, the Watchers, and the Nephilim. After presenting extensive historical backgrounds and brilliant translations of The First, Second, and Third Books of Enoch, Lumpkin takes time to piece together a historical narrative of Fallen Angels, the Watcher, and the Nephilim, using his extensive knowledge of ancient texts.
-
-
Lose the echo effect
- By Mark Medbery on 10-29-17
By: Joseph Lumpkin
-
The Book of Enoch
- From the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament
- By: Robert Bagley III
- Narrated by: Steve Cook
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why is The Book of Enoch so important to anyone interested in Biblical history? The answer is simple: It is directly quoted in the New Testament by Jude (vv.14-15). Themes of the book referenced in 2 Peter 2:1. Jesus also used content from The Book of Enoch in many of his sermons in Matthew and Luke. In this text, you will hear the word of God through this amazing document. We will take this amazing journey together and learn why this text is not an official book of the Bible.
-
-
Amazing and disturbingly accurate celestial calc.
- By Susan I Carter on 12-05-17
-
The Book of Enoch
- By: Unknown
- Narrated by: Christopher Glyn
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The book of Enoch was thought to be lost for over 2,000 years until, in 1773, a traveller brought three copies back from Ethiopia. Whether or not this ancient book was actually authored by Enoch, the father of Methuselah and great-grandfather of Noah, is an ongoing debate among historians and theologians. But all recognise the book of Enoch as one of the most important apocalyptic works outside of the Bible.
-
-
Further Information
- By Timothy on 01-11-20
By: Unknown
-
Super Attractor
- Methods for Manifesting a Life Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
- By: Gabrielle Bernstein
- Narrated by: Gabrielle Bernstein
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ready to turn what you want into the life that you live? The number-one New York Times best-selling author of The Universe Has Your Back shows you how. In Super Attractor, Gabrielle Bernstein lays out the essential methods for manifesting a life beyond your wildest dreams. This book is a journey of remembering where your true power lies. You'll learn how to co-create the life you want. You'll accept that life can flow, that attracting is fun, and that you don't have to work so hard to get what you want.
-
-
Not a huge fan
- By Pamela H on 09-30-19
-
Neville Goddard: The Complete Reader
- By: Neville Goddard
- Narrated by: Barry J. Peterson
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Neville Goddard: The Complete Reader, Includes all 10 of Neville Goddard's Spiritual Classics: At Your Command, Awakened Imagination & the Search, Feeling is the Secret, Freedom For All, Out of This World, Prayer, The Art of Believing, Seedtime and Harvest, The Law and The Promise, The Power of Awareness, and Your Faith Is Your Fortune. If you are familiar with the great American mystic, this will be a goldmine of wisdom in one book. If you are new to his work, you are in for a spiritual journey.
-
-
Hidden Gem
- By TrauntsiePants on 05-22-18
By: Neville Goddard
-
The Seven Secrets to Healthy, Happy Relationships
- By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr., HeatherAsh Amara
- Narrated by: Charlie Varon
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this one-of-a-kind book, best-selling authors Don Miguel Ruiz, Jr. and HeatherAsh Amara share their seven secrets to healthy, happy relationships: Commitment, Freedom, Awareness, Healing, Joy, Communication, and Release. Understanding and enacting these principles can help you at any stage in your intimate partnering, whether you've been with someone for many years or are currently single and want to prepare for a relationship.
-
-
You can expect to feel Liberation and Self-Emancipation
- By DJNN on 01-29-20
By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr., and others
-
Happy Days
- By: Gabrielle Bernstein
- Narrated by: Gabrielle Bernstein
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What if you could wake up every day without anxiety? View your past with purpose, not regret? Live happy, peaceful, and free from fear? You can - and Gabrielle Bernstein will show you the way. Gabby has long been loved by her listeners as a spiritual teacher, motivational speaker, and catalyst for profound inner change. Her new book presents her most powerful teaching yet: a plan for transforming the pain of your past, whatever that may be, into newfound strength and freedom.
-
-
Healing is privileged
- By Tina Clayton on 02-26-22
-
Angel Armies
- Releasing the Warriors of Heaven
- By: Tim Sheets
- Narrated by: Winston Douglas
- Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What do angels do and how do their tasks affect me? Through Bible-based revelation combined with his dynamic, personal encounters with the angelic realm, Tim Sheets invites you to experience the unseen world of Heaven's mighty warriors. Angels are more than invisible guardians of the heavens - they are fierce soldiers commissioned to overthrow the powers of darkness. Learn how to work with these divine warriors and watch Heaven's power transform your life, your region, and your world today!
-
-
My 1st book & BY FAR THE BEST
- By Rachael Richardson on 06-22-16
By: Tim Sheets
What listeners say about Prisoner of the Vatican
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- rwise
- 05-17-05
Excellent book, odd publisher's summary
The book describes the history of Rome in the 19th century when the independent papal state of Rome was seized during the formation of the new Italian national state. The story is not about "The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State" as the publisher (or probably a semi-literate summer intern at the publishing house, who never read the book) thought to summarize this book, but more about the difficulties of the papal state and its souvereign, the pope, after Italian, national forces had seized it. The history is very well researched and explained, and the author holds a healthy distance towards its main characters and uses only original sources. I do recommend this book for people that are interested in catholic, papal, Italian or European history. Very well read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Willard
- 03-27-17
well research re d
It was v eryinteresrting with all the historical facts and dates that are presented. I think I'll read it or listen again.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- JAC
- 10-30-22
Story and Voice Fit Well
you can get lost in the character's names but the action moves it forward.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Simone
- 11-05-12
A Slice of Italian History
I enjoyed this book because it was not like reading a text book, it was interesting! Non-fiction can be tedious to read (dry) at times, so generally I take what I can from them and don’t worry about the parts my brain doesn't want to absorb – no matter how interesting it may be. In this case, I feel like I absorbed much more than I discarded.
I've been to Italy quite a few times, so I really enjoyed putting “Umberto” “Emmanuelle” “Cavour” “Garibaldi” “XX September” into context. I've seen the names and dates in a zillion piazzas and monuments and street names and metro stops, so it’s nice to learn a little more about them. We’ll see how much I retained next time I am in Italy! Will I think: “I know that name! but why?” or will I turn my husband and bore him with all the details I leaned?
I was dissapointed that the Lateran Treaty was just a blip in the epilogue, I think that ties in rather significantly with this slice of Italian history so I'm surprised the author didn't elaborate a bit more.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kesari
- 02-01-19
Very interesting
Not what I expected but allot of information. This was worth it. I had no idea of all of this that took place. Kinda makes me look at this subject with a new set of eye's.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 03-31-22
Well researched book.
It gets a little bogged down with details but it never was boring. The end of the book had me wanting to pick up another book on the topic.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- JerryT
- 06-04-05
History at its Worst
This is easily one of the most poorly researched "popular" works of history and certainly is a scholarly joke. We have Pius IX being ridiculed as "in his second childhood" and senile by others, none of them Catholics. The influence of the Pope during the second half of the 19th Century was modest at best. To assume that it played a major role is absurd for anyone knowledgeable about the Franco-Prussian War or the one fought between the new German state and the Austia-Hungarian Empire where Italy played a minor role at best. That Pius IX tried to meddle in various affairs is not doubted. But that he had any serious effect is absurd. And after a variety of negative comments about a hapless Pius IX, the author goes on to assert he was the most important Pope in modern history (a curious thought in an age which has seen the recent death of a far more important Pope.) The writer struggles to put Lombardy in the correct geographical position, one of several foolish errors, and discards all the accessible Italian and Papal histories of the period in the introduction. Even conflicting histories, if they be so, must be considered. Instead he views history through the eyes of French, German, Austrian and other historians. And no I'm not a Catholic but a philosphy student of Austine, Aquinas, Aristotle and many others. In fact at one point Aquinas is said to be more important as Peter's "descendant," as the foundation of the Catholic Church. Read the History of the Middle Ages or Charlemagne and you'll understand more about Italian history than this pathetic book. This would NOT be an acceptable thesis for a history student. The title is chosen to help it sell. "The Minor Role of the Papacy in the 19th Century" would be a better choice. And it is clearly not a history of modern Italy but someone's idea of making a buck or simply thinks that something anti-Catholic might sell well.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
20 people found this helpful