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The Popes

A History

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The Popes

By: John Julius Norwich
Narrated by: Michael Jayston
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.


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


© John Julius Norwich 2011 (P) Penguin Audio 2011

 Christian Living Christianity Middle Ages Italy Rome Thought-Provoking Crusade

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All stars
Most relevant
Regardless of one's opinion of the office of Pope, what cannot be denied is that over the course of the last two thousand years or so, the long list of saints & sinners, the devout & the debauched, the rogues & villains & heroes who have occupied the position have, in one way or another, had a huge influence on European history.

John Julius Norwich's 'History of the Popes' is a wonderful introduction to the main points of interest and provides a nice perspective on aspects of European history that you might not be aware of; the circumstances in Rome at the time of Henry VIII's petition for divorce from Katherine of Aragon being a fine example (the surprise wasn't that the Pope turned him down but, given the circumstances in Rome, that Henry even bothered trying in the first place!).

Covering, as it does, such an enormous expanse of time, it is necessarily brief in respect of some of the more dull or brief pontificates, but most of them seem to get at least a name check.

The whole thing trundles along at a very nice pace and, what with most Popes seemingly having been elected when they were on their last legs, there are plenty of places for the listener to take a convenient pause between listening sessions.

Michael Jayston, of course, has a splendid voice and reading style (which I am sure should rightfully be mine!) and which makes the audiobook a wonderfully easy listen. Thoroughly recommended!

A Stroll through 2,000 Years of European History

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This is an excellent book. it glosses over large sections of the story but the narrative does not suffer as a result. Instead, what you get is a thoughtful and insightful take on the sometimes strange, sometimes saintly, always interesting Papacy.

Excellent and enjoyable

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I have been searching for literature on the papacy for years. A few books later, this is one of the best I have ever read. Highly recommended.

Extremely Interesting

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This is a cracking piece of work, which balances research, deep background knowledge and erudition with an enormous sense of fun. Anyone familiar with John Julius Norwich will not be surprised by his love of language and the skill with which he deploys it; no more will they be surprised by his arch and witty perspective. Notwithstanding this, The Popes is hugely informative, and Norwich never ducks a controversy, especially in the era from Popes Pius the IXth to XIIth. Splendidly read by Michael Jayston, with great pace, clarity, vigour and wit. If you fancy a cackle at two thousand years of perfidy, while still being touched by surprising piety and goodness and learning a lot, have a listen.

Enormously entertaining.

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I'm not religious but I find Christian mythology and ecclesiastical history interesting. The papacy has been involved with many important events over the last 2000 years so this book gives a fascinating viewpoint on European history. Well researched and narrated.

Fascinating

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