The Popes: A History - Couverture souple

Norwich, Viscount John Julius

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0099565870 ISBN 13 : 9780099565871

Editeur : Vintage, 2012

Synopsis

Examines the Popes, an oldest continuing institution in the world, tracing the papal line down the centuries from St Peter (traditionally - but by no means historically - the first Pope) to the present, and from the glories of Byzantium to the decay of Rome, from the Albigensian Heresy to controversy within the Church today.

A propos du livre

Quatrième de couverture :

'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

John Julius Norwich examines the oldest continuing institution in the world, tracing the papal line down the centuries from St Peter (traditionally - but by no means historically - the first Pope) to the present. Of the 280-odd holders of the supreme office, some have unquestionably been saints; others have wallowed in unspeakable iniquity. One was said to have been a woman, her sex being revealed only when she improvidently gave birth to a baby during a papal procession. Almost as shocking was Formosus whose murdered corpse was exhumed, clothed in pontifical vestments, propped up on a throne and subjected to trial; or John XII, of whom Gibbon wrote 'his rapes of virgins and widows had deterred the female pilgrims from visiting the shrine of St Peter'. From the glories of Byzantium to the decay of Rome, from the Albigensian Heresy to controversy within the Church today, The Popes is superbly written, witty and revealing.

'Norwich has an eye for the tiny detail that illuminates a whole character' Mail on Sunday

'To keep such a light touch, without sacrificing academic seriousness, is a distinct achievement' Independent

'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' Financial Times

'One of the most bizarre and enjoyable history books I've ever read' Daily Express

Présentation de l'éditeur :

John Julius Norwich expertly examines the history of the oldest continuing institution in the world, tracing the papal line down the centuries from St Peter to the present

Of the 280-odd holders of the supreme office, some have unquestionably been saints; others have wallowed in unspeakable immorality. One was said to have been a woman, her sex being revealed only when she improvidently gave birth to a baby during a papal procession. Almost as shocking was Formosus whose murdered corpse was exhumed, clothed in pontifical vestments, propped up on a throne and subjected to trial. From the glories of Byzantium to the decay of Rome, from the Albigensian Heresy to controversy within the Church today, The Popes is superbly written, witty and revealing.

‘Charming and learned...The prose is elegant, the witticisms are plentiful, and the volume's enthusiasm is addictive.’ Jonathan Wright, BBC History Magazine

À propos de cette édition

• Éditeur: Vintage
• Date d'édition: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0099565870
• ISBN 13: 9780099565871
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 528