David I. Kertzer is the Paul Dupee, Jr. University Professor of Social Science and professor of anthropology and Italian studies at Brown University, where he served as provost from 2006 to 2011. He is the author of twelve books, including The Pope and Mussolini, winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Biography and the American Historical Association prize for best book on Italian history, and The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara, a finalist for the National Book Award in 1997. He has twice been awarded the Marraro Prize from the Society for Italian Historical Studies for the best book on Italian history and in 2005 was elected to membership in the American Association of Arts and Sciences. He and his wife, Susan, live in Providence, Rhode Island.
"David Kertzer has an eye for a story, an ear for the right word,
and an instinct for human tragedy. They all come together in The
Pope and Mussolini to document, with meticulous scholarship and
novelistic flair, the complicity between Pius XI and the Fascist
leader in creating an unholy alliance between the Vatican and a
totalitarian government rooted in corruption and brutality. This is
a sophisticated blockbuster."--Joseph J. Ellis, Pulitzer
Prize-winning author of Revolutionary Summer "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 "Gripping storytelling . . . a book whose narrative
strength is as impressive as its moral subtlety . . . Kertzer has
uncovered a fascinating tale of two irascible--and often
irrational--potentates, and gives us an account of some murky
intellectual finagling, and an often startling investigation of the
exercise of power."--The Guardian "Captivating . . . the real Da
Vinci Code--only it's rigorously documented and far less
implausible."--San Francisco Chronicle "The papacy of Pius XI
remained essentially a foil for discussing his successor. Kertzer's
excellent volume will change all of that. . . . From the outset of
his new book, Kertzer deftly reconstructs the parallel lives of
Achille Ratti, who became Pius XI, and of Benito Mussolini, both
men whose beginnings do not point to the historic role that they
began to play in 1922. The narration unfolds along the separate
political, ideological, and institutional backgrounds of the Pope's
and Duce's careers and brings up in fascinating detail the issues
on which their interests converged and clashed. . . . Kertzer's
essential book reveals a window on this sordid history--a window
that for a long time was shuttered, but will not be obscured
anymore."--The New Republic
"Stunning . . . remarkable . . . Kertzer authoritatively banishes
decades of denial and uncertainty about the Vatican's relationship
with Italy's fascist state."--The Christian Science Monitor "A
capstone on David Kertzer's already crucial work, The Pope and
Mussolini carefully and eloquently advances the painful but
necessary truth of Vatican failure to meet its greatest moral test.
This is history for the sake of justice."--James Carroll, National
Book Award-winning author of Constantine's Sword "Sweeping and
nuanced . . . required reading for anyone with an interest in the
Roman Catholic Church and early twentieth-century European
history."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch "The author spares no toes in
his crushing of the Church's 'comforting narrative' around its
relationship with Mussolini's Fascist regime. . . . Kertzer is
unflinching and relentless in his exposure of the Vatican's
shocking actions. . . . Deeply troubling revelations around Vatican
collaboration with evil."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "A
compelling case that the Catholic Church should pay greater penance
for its support of Mussolini and the rise of fascism . . . The Pope
and Mussolini matches rigorous scholarship with a fair yet forceful
prose voice. It is an impressive work of history."--The Daily
Beast
"[Kertzer] reconstructs, as if in a historical docudrama, the paths
taken by these two men who had such a great impact on the course of
the twentieth century. . . . [A] brilliant narrative . . . [with]
pages that display enthralling narrative skill."--Marco Roncalli,
Avvenire "Meticulously researched and captivating . . . a
remarkable achievement."--Commentary
"Brisk, rigorously documented and persuasive."--The Philadelphia
Inquirer "Vividly recounted . . . Kertzer had access to recently
opened Vatican archives regarding Pius XI, and his thorough
research goes a long way in overturning conventional notions about
Catholic church resistance to Mussolini."--USA Today
"Compelling . . . Kertzer charts his own course not only by virtue
of the depth of his archival research and analysis, but also by
virtue of his engaging prose."--America: The National Catholic
Review "Fast-paced and well-written . . . This book is a readable
popular history, with well-drawn characters and interesting
incidental detail. It is also a serious study that incorporates the
most recent scholarship made possible by the 2006 opening of the
Vatican archives for the reign of Pius XI."--The Irish Times "The
Pope and Mussolini is a riveting story from start to finish, full
of startling, documented detail, and nobody is better prepared to
tell it than David Kertzer."--Jack Miles, Pulitzer Prize-winning
author of God: A Biography "Wholly deserving--even demanding--the
adjectives 'groundbreaking, ' 'courageous, ' and 'captivating, '
The Pope and Mussolini decisively challenges the received narrative
about Pius XI and the Fascist leader. The relationship, in short,
was one not of hostility but of mutual dependence. David Kertzer's
conclusions are unflinchingly and conclusively proven, thanks to
his profound and thorough research, scholarly authority, and
narrative panache. This is a meticulously researched and crafted
book, exquisitely written, fresh, mesmerizing, and
enlightening."--Kevin Madigan, Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical
History, Harvard University
"The Pope and Mussolini tells the story of two remarkable men,
Achille Ratti, Pope Pius XI, and Benito Mussolini, Duce of Fascism.
Both demanded absolute obedience. Those who knew the pope called
him 'a block of granite' and 'cold as marble.' The highest prelates
trembled in his presence. Mussolini, swollen with his success,
became 'a statue' who listened to no one. David Kertzer tells their
stories in counterpoint as they could never have been told before.
The opening of the Vatican archives in 2006 and the discovery of a
vast archive of Mussolini's spies in the hierarchy of the Vatican
provide Kertzer staggering new evidence, and his wonderful
portraits of everybody involved give this book the fascination of a
great novel."--Jonathan Steinberg, Walter H. Annenberg Professor of
Modern European History, University of Pennsylvania, and New York
Times bestselling author of Bismarck "David Kertzer, who pored
through the recently opened Vatican secret files gives, us a
ghastly history of the poisonous alliance between a weakened
Vatican and an ambitious Mussolini. The Pope's blessing gave Il
Duce the needed credibility to take Italy and the Italian people
where he wanted them to go. In exchange for that approval, the
Fascists provided the Church with its only perceived bulwark
against the forces of Communism and the modern age. Enter Hitler. I
can imagine Machiavelli overseeing the manipulations on both sides
and saying either 'Well played' or 'You go too far' or 'Beware.'
David Kertzer has written a harrowing portrait of a ghastly union
whose only by-product was the nightmare of World War II."--John
Guare, award-winning playwright and author of Six Degrees of
Separation "A thoroughly engrossing story with an ever-changing
cast of fascinating characters . . . Like a couple in a loveless
marriage, entered into for all the wrong reasons, Pius XI and
Mussolini could not get free of each other. Mussolini hated
priests. Pius XI swallowed his scruples about the Duce's growing
megalomania. Each reckoned that he had much to gain from the other.
Beneath their endless squabbling about precedence, their continual
posturing, Pius and Mussolini undermined and ultimately squandered
the happiness of the millions who trusted them. Kertzer has written
the definitive book on this tragic history."--Richard S. Levy,
professor of history, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and
co-editor of Antisemitism: A History
"Kertzer unravels the relationship between two of twentieth-century
Europe's most important political figures and does so in an
accessible style that makes for a fast-paced
must-read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
David Kertzer has an eye for a story, an ear for the right word,
and an instinct for human tragedy. They all come together in"The
Pope and Mussolini"to document, with meticulous scholarship and
novelistic flair, the complicity between Pius XI and the Fascist
leader in creating an unholy alliance between the Vatican and a
totalitarian government rooted in corruption and brutality. This is
a sophisticated blockbuster. Joseph J. Ellis, Pulitzer Prize
winning author of"Revolutionary Summer"
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"
Gripping storytelling . . . a book whose narrative strength is as
impressive as its moral subtlety . . . Kertzer has uncovered a
fascinating tale of two irascible and often irrational potentates,
and gives us an account of some murky intellectual finagling, and
an often startling investigation of the exercise of power. "The
Guardian"
Captivating . . . the real"Da Vinci Code" only it s rigorously
documented and far lessimplausible. "San Francisco Chronicle"
The papacy of Pius XI remained essentially a foil for discussing
his successor. Kertzer s excellent volume will change all of that.
. . . From the outset of his new book, Kertzer deftly reconstructs
the parallel lives of Achille Ratti, who became Pius XI, and of
Benito Mussolini, both men whose beginnings do not point to the
historic role that they began to play in 1922. The narration
unfolds along the separate political, ideological, and
institutional backgrounds of the Pope s and Duce s careers and
brings up in fascinating detail the issues on which their interests
converged and clashed. . . . Kertzer s essential book reveals a
window on this sordid history a window that for a long time was
shuttered, but will not be obscured anymore. "The New Republic"
""
Stunning . . . remarkable . . . Kertzer authoritatively banishes
decades of denial and uncertainty about the Vatican's relationship
with Italy s fascist state. "The Christian Science Monitor"
A capstone on David Kertzer s already crucial work, "The Pope and
Mussolini"carefully and eloquently advances the painful but
necessary truth of Vatican failure to meet its greatest moral test.
This is history for the sake of justice. James Carroll, National
Book Award winningauthor of"Constantine s Sword"
Sweeping and nuanced . . . required reading for anyone with an
interest in the Roman Catholic Church and early twentieth-century
European history. "St. Louis Post-Dispatch"
The author spares no toes in his crushing of the Church s
comforting narrative around its relationship with Mussolini s
Fascist regime. . . . Kertzer is unflinching and relentless in his
exposure of the Vatican s shocking actions. . . . Deeply troubling
revelations around Vatican collaboration with evil. "Kirkus
Reviews"(starred review)
A compelling case that the Catholic Church should pay greater
penance for its support of Mussolini and the rise of fascism . . .
"The Pope and Mussolini" matches rigorous scholarship with a fair
yet forceful prose voice. It is an impressive work of history. "The
Daily Beast"
""
[Kertzer] reconstructs, as if in a historical docudrama, the paths
taken by these two men who had such a great impact on the course of
the twentieth century. . . . [A] brilliant narrative . . . [with]
pages that display enthralling narrative skill. Marco Roncalli,
"Avvenire"
Meticulously researched and captivating . . . a remarkable
achievement. "Commentary"
""
Brisk, rigorously documented and persuasive. " The Philadelphia
Inquirer"
Vividly recounted . . . Kertzer had access to recently opened
Vatican archives regarding Pius XI, and his thorough research goes
a long way in overturning conventional notions about Catholic
church resistance to Mussolini. "USA Today"
""
Compelling . . . Kertzer charts his own course not only by virtue
of the depth of his archival research and analysis, but also by
virtue of his engaging prose. "America: The National Catholic
Review"
Fast-paced and well-written . . . This book is a readable popular
history, with well-drawn characters and interesting incidental
detail. It is also a serious study that incorporates the most
recent scholarship made possible by the 2006 opening of the Vatican
archives for the reign of Pius XI. "The Irish Times"
"The Pope and Mussolini" is a riveting story from start to finish,
full of startling, documented detail, and nobody is better prepared
to tell it than David Kertzer. Jack Miles, Pulitzer Prize winning
author of "God: A Biography
" Wholly deserving even demanding the adjectives groundbreaking,
courageous, and captivating, "The Pope and Mussolini" decisively
challenges the received narrative about Pius XI and the Fascist
leader. The relationship, in short, was one not of hostility but of
mutual dependence. David Kertzer s conclusions are unflinchingly
and conclusively proven, thanks to his profound and thorough
research, scholarly authority, and narrative panache. This is a
meticulously researched and crafted book, exquisitely written,
fresh, mesmerizing, and enlightening. Kevin Madigan, Winn Professor
of Ecclesiastical History, Harvard University
"The Pope and Mussolini" tells the story of two remarkable men,
Achille Ratti, Pope Pius XI, and Benito Mussolini, Duce of Fascism.
Both demanded absolute obedience. Those who knew the pope called
him a block of granite and cold as marble. The highest prelates
trembled in his presence. Mussolini, swollen with his success,
became a statue who listened to no one. David Kertzer tells their
stories in counterpoint as they could never have been told before.
The opening of the Vatican archives in 2006 and the discovery of a
vast archive of Mussolini s spies in the hierarchy of the Vatican
provide Kertzer staggering new evidence, and his wonderful
portraits of everybody involved give this book the fascination of a
great novel. Jonathan Steinberg, Walter H. Annenberg Professor of
Modern European History, University of Pennsylvania, and "New York
Times" bestselling author of "Bismarck"
David Kertzer, who pored through the recently opened Vatican secret
files gives, us a ghastly history of the poisonous alliance between
a weakened Vatican and an ambitious Mussolini. The Pope s blessing
gave "Il Duce" the needed credibility to take Italy and the Italian
people where he wanted them to go. In exchange for that approval,
the Fascists provided the Church with its only perceived bulwark
against the forces of Communism and the modern age. Enter Hitler. I
can imagine Machiavelli overseeing the manipulations on both sides
and saying either Well played or You go too far or Beware. David
Kertzer has written a harrowing portrait of a ghastly union whose
only by-product was the nightmare of World War II. John Guare,
award-winning playwright and author of "Six Degrees of
Separation"
A thoroughly engrossing story with an ever-changing cast of
fascinating characters . . . Like a couple in a loveless marriage,
entered into for all the wrong reasons, Pius XI and Mussolini could
not get free of each other. Mussolini hated priests. Pius XI
swallowed his scruples about the Duce s growing megalomania. Each
reckoned that he had much to gain from the other. Beneath their
endless squabbling about precedence, their continual posturing,
Pius and Mussolini undermined and ultimately squandered the
happiness of the millions who trusted them. Kertzer has written the
definitive book on this tragic history. Richard S. Levy, professor
of history, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and co-editor of
"Antisemitism: A History
"
Kertzer unravels the relationship between two of twentieth-century
Europe s most important political figures and does so in an
accessible style that makes for a fast-paced must-read. "Publishers
Weekly "(starred review)"
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