David I. Kertzer

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

“Kertzer’s brilliant treatment of the crisis in the papacy between 1846 and 1850 reads like a thriller. All the characters, from the poor of Rome to the king of Naples, stand out with a vividness that testifies to his mastery of prose.”—The New York Review of Books

“The modern world was forged in a series of revolutions stretching from Philadelphia in 1776 to Paris in 1789 to the cascading cataclysms in Europe in 1848. In this original—and even thrilling—book, David Kertzer gives us a brilliant and surprising portrait of the role of Pius IX in the making of a new democratic reality in the West. Engaging, intelligent, and revealing, The Pope Who Would Be King is essential reading for those seeking to understand the perennial human forces that shape both power and faith.”—Jon Meacham, author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

“In this riveting tour de force, David Kertzer shows how and why Pope Pius IX turned Roman Catholicism into the nemesis of modernity, with drastic consequences not only for the church but for the West—consequences felt to this day, when religion and politics form a lethal brew. Elegant writing, the pace of a novel, scrupulous scholarship—these hallmarks of Kertzer’s body of work are all in evidence here, wonderfully so.”—James Carroll, author of The Cloister

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER

“Much more attention has been given to the Vatican’s compromises and complicity with Hitler, but Kertzer tells a fascinating and tragic story of its self-interested support for Mussolini when he was vulnerable early on.”—The New Yorker

“Revelatory . . . [a] detailed portrait of the inner workings of the Vatican in this period . . . The general outlines of this story have always been matters of public record, but Kertzer’s book deepens and alters our understanding considerably. The portrait that emerges from it suggests a much more organic and symbiotic relationship between the Church and fascism. Rather than seeing the Church as having passively accepted fascism as a fait accompli, Kertzer sees it as having provided fundamental support to Mussolini in his consolidation of power and the establishment of dictatorship in Italy.”—The New York Review of Books
 

A National Book Award Finalist

“A thrilling history… Kertzer’s careful scholarship and fine narrative skill make a great drama.” —Boston Globe

“A lucidly drawn, dramatic narrative.  Kertzer’s account reads like a courtroom drama. As shapely and surprising as fiction.” —Newsday

“Brilliant… a book that has all the merits of a historical thriller.” —Daily News

“Fascinating… full of rich material…. Kertzer has unearthed an evocative and unjustly forgotten episode of history.” —The Washington Post Book World

“Important. . . . Fascinating. . . . [A] riveting piece of historical detective work.” –The New York Times

“Scrupulous….Significant and compelling.” —The Washington Post

“The material is dynamite.” —The Times (London)

“Popes Against the Jews . . . demolishes the findings of We Remember.” —The Boston Globe

“This reviewer is grateful to Kertzer for having written such a compelling narrative. His thesis is shocking and disturbing. . . . An important book.” —The Irish Times