SKU: 84963412900

The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe

Sale price$15.30 Regular price$17.00
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $4.25 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Sep 5 - Sep 10

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in EuropePULITZER PRIZE WINNER NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE From National Book Award finalist David I. Kertzer comes the gripping story of Pope Pius XI's secret relations with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This groundbreaking work, based on seven years of research in the Vatican and Fascist archives, including reports from Mussolini's spies inside the highest levels of the Church, will forever change our understanding

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER - NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

From National Book Award finalist David I. Kertzer comes the gripping story of Pope Pius XI's secret relations with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This groundbreaking work, based on seven years of research in the Vatican and Fascist archives, including reports from Mussolini's spies inside the highest levels of the Church, will forever change our understanding of the Vatican's role in the rise of Fascism in Europe.


The Pope and Mussolini tells the story of two men who came to power in 1922, and together changed the course of twentieth-century history. In most respects, they could not have been more different. One was scholarly and devout, the other thuggish and profane. Yet Pius XI and "Il Duce" had many things in common. They shared a distrust of democracy and a visceral hatred of Communism. Both were prone to sudden fits of temper and were fiercely protective of the prerogatives of their office. ("We have many interests to protect," the Pope declared, soon after Mussolini seized control of the government in 1922.) Each relied on the other to consolidate his power and achieve his political goals.

In a challenge to the conventional history of this period, in which a heroic Church does battle with the Fascist regime, Kertzer shows how Pius XI played a crucial role in making Mussolini's dictatorship possible and keeping him in power. In exchange for Vatican support, Mussolini restored many of the privileges the Church had lost and gave in to the pope's demands that the police enforce Catholic morality. Yet in the last years of his life--as the Italian dictator grew ever closer to Hitler--the pontiff's faith in this treacherous bargain started to waver. With his health failing, he began to lash out at the Duce and threatened to denounce Mussolini's anti-Semitic racial laws before it was too late. Horrified by the threat to the Church-Fascist alliance, the Vatican's inner circle, including the future Pope Pius XII, struggled to restrain the headstrong pope from destroying a partnership that had served both the Church and the dictator for many years.

The Pope and Mussolini brims with memorable portraits of the men who helped enable the reign of Fascism in Italy: Father Pietro Tacchi Venturi, Pius's personal emissary to the dictator, a wily anti-Semite known as Mussolini's Rasputin; Victor Emmanuel III, the king of Italy, an object of widespread derision who lacked the stature--literally and figuratively--to stand up to the domineering Duce; and Cardinal Secretary of State Eugenio Pacelli, whose political skills and ambition made him Mussolini's most powerful ally inside the Vatican, and positioned him to succeed the pontiff as the controversial Pius XII, whose actions during World War II would be subject for debate for decades to come.

With the recent opening of the Vatican archives covering Pius XI's papacy, the full story of the Pope's complex relationship with his Fascist partner can finally be told. Vivid, dramatic, with surprises at every turn, The Pope and Mussolini is history writ large and with the lightning hand of truth.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Random House Trade
Published: 01/06/2015
ISBN: 9780812983678
Pages: 592
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 9.00h x 5.90w x 1.40d

Review Citations: New York Review of Books 04/23/2015 pg. 48
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 84963412900

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.6 ★★★★★
Based on 11 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
C
Verified Purchase
Caprireneedecordova
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect moisturizer
Scent: Unscented, Size: 8 Ounce (Pack of 1)
This stuff is good. It doesn't have a smell at all, so it's not irritating at all. it feels so good and a little does go a long ways. it's such a good price for a good amount compared to others that is half the size and twice the price. Simple very good ingredients. Love love love. A must have.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2026
N
Verified Purchase
NA
New York, US
★★★★★ 5
Best lip balm I have ever used.
By far the best lip balm you will ever buy. When I say I am addicted to Chapstick/lip balm it's an understatement. I don't just have one kind, in one place. I have multiple kinds (you never know what you're feeling or need) in every place! Like my cars chapstick has a chapstick family. I have been trying to pay attention to ingredients lately and realize how many awful chemicals are in most of the products I use. So...here we are, woke up after sleeping with a fan in my face and my lip was dry and cracked straight down the middle. Something so stupid caused so much discomfort I started immediately trying all the different brands, oils, balms, etc. Some burned, some made it worse, some did nothing. Two days of this nonsense and I decided to try this product. It was delivered the next day thank goodness because I was becoming so annoyed with the pain from a small cut. I instantly put the product on and my lip felt so much better. It lasts a very long time so it isn't drying back out and it isn't painful to reapply when needed. It's been less than 24 hours and my lip is almost better. I even slept with the fan on. This balm is amazing, made in the USA, comes in a huge tube unlike the other brands, costs is amazingly low, and it has no nasty smell at all! The only complaint I have would be my concern for my addiction to carry one in my pocket and due to the ingredients it will probably melt some but I will worry about that when I need to. Seriously, this stuff is so amazing I had to write this review. I don't know these people and I sure didn't get it for free. I will be purchasing more from them and sharing what a quality product it is. Just get it.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2025
N
Verified Purchase
netred
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 5
Wonderful find
Wonderful balm - quick delivery.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
A Phillips
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
You will want more than one!
Nice size for lip balm, larger than small chapstick. It is smooth and hydrating. I have one handy in the office, my purse, bathroom, nightstand, etc. No commission here. Just love this product!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2026
T
Verified Purchase
T.J's Mom
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
Great lip balm
I have had chapped lips for most of my adult life. This product has been the first product that I have used, where my lips are not cracked, peeling or dry. There is no smell or taste, very neutral. I had to use the balm frequently in the beginning, now maybe only several times a day. One tube last a long time I highly recommend this lip balm.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2026

recommand products