Overview

Well known for his histories of Norman Sicily, Venice, the Byzantine Empire and the Mediterranean, John Julius Norwich has now turned his attention to the oldest continuing institution in the world, tracing the papal line down the centuries from St Peter himself traditionally (though by no means historically) the first pope to the present Benedict XVI. Of the 280-odd holders of the supreme office, some have unques-tionably been saints; others have wallowed in unspeakable iniquity.From the legend of Pope Joan to the majestic pontiffs of the Renaissance, the Borgias and Medicis; from Reformation to Counter-Reformation; from Pius XII and the Holocaust to today s Benedict XVI, struggling to deal with appalling revelations of sexual misbehaviour within the Church the pace never slackens. John Julius Norwich, an agnostic with no religious axe to grind, has a thrilling and important tale to tell and in this rich, authoritative book he does it full justice.

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9780701182908

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Reviews

Norwich certainly has an eye for the tiny detail that illuminates a whole character -- Craig Brown Mail on Sunday Rattlingly stylish -- Edward Pearce Tribune Magazine While this is a big book on a complex topic, it is a manageable one, displaying urbane literary skill -- Michael Walsh Tablet A highly readable book -- James McConnachie Sunday Times Light spring reading for the serious-minded -- Paul Johnson Spectator

Norwich certainly has an eye for the tiny detail that illuminates a whole character -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday * Rattlingly stylish -- Edward Pearce * Tribune Magazine * While this is a big book on a complex topic, it is a manageable one, displaying urbane literary skill -- Michael Walsh * Tablet * A highly readable book -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times * Light spring reading for the serious-minded -- Paul Johnson * Spectator *

This highly readable book is the sort of unabashedly old-fashioned history that Norwich does well -- James McConnachie Sunday Times The stories are glorious...stuffed with monsters, absurdities, wonders and politics, just as you would expect from any human institution... The Popes is sharp, fun and wonderfully energetic through its many, many pages Scotsman There is a relentless, bouncing, irrepressible pace to Norwich that can stun the senses as well as occasionally delight -- Hugh McDonald Herald [John Julius Norwich] approaches his vast canvas with broad brush strokes, dashing off profile after profile with aplomb, flashes of wit and a formidable accumulation of detail. -- John Cornwell Financial Times

Author Information

John Julius Norwich is the author of histories of Norman Sicily, the Republic of Venice, the Byzantine Empire and, most recently, The Middle Sea- A History of the Mediterranean. He has also written on architecture, music and the history plays of Shakespeare, and has presented some thirty historical documentaries on BBC Television.

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