The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe
AuthorDavid Kertzer
PublishedJanuary 28, 2014
PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
AwardsPulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography

The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe is a 2014 biography of Pope Pius XI about his relations with Benito Mussolini and rise of Fascism in Europe by David Kertzer.[1] The book examined documentary evidence from the Vatican archives, arguing that Pope Pius XI played a significant role in supporting the rise of fascism and Benito Mussolini in Italy, but not of Nazism in Germany.[2]

The Pope and Mussolini won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography.[3]

About the book

This is the story of Pope Pius XI’s relations with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, based on archival material from both.[4]

Reception

The book was lauded by many authors including Joseph J. Ellis, who wrote, "Kertzer has an eye for a story, an ear for the right word, and an instinct for human tragedy. This is a sophisticated blockbuster." The New Yorker called the book "A fascinating and tragic story."The New York Review of Books states, "Revelatory . . . [a] detailed portrait."[5] Historian Paul Gottfried criticized the book for being overly critical of the Church.[6]

Editions

American edition:

  • Kertzer, David I. (2014). The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 9780679645535.

British edition:

Italian edition:

German edition:

Awards

The biography won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, Letter and Music category of Biography or Autobiography.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe". Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ Ventresca, R. A. (2014). "The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David I. Kertzer (review)". The Catholic Historical Review. 100 (3): 630–632. doi:10.1353/cat.2014.0160. S2CID 150853556.
  3. ↑ Somaiya, Ravi (April 20, 2015). "2015 Pulitzer Winners: Charleston, S.C., Paper Wins Public Service Prize; New York Times Wins 3". The New York Times. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ Friedlander, Saul (March 8, 2014). "How a Pope Helped Mussolini Rise to Power And tried to stop him before it was too late". Saul Friedländer. The New Republic. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ Stille, Alexander (April 23, 2015). "The Pope Who Tried". Alexander Stille. The New Yorker. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  6. ↑ Painting Catholicism with a Fascist Brush
  7. ↑ "Biography or Autobiography". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 20 April 2015.

Further reading


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