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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for John Cornwell’s Hitler’s Pope:

“[Hitler’s Pope] redefines the entire history of the 20th
century.�
—Tad Szluc, Washington Post

“As Cornwell brilliantly demonstrates, Pius XII brought the
authoritarianism and the centralization of his predecessors to their
most extreme stage.�
—Saul Friedlander, Los Angeles Times

“Explosive… [Cornwell] makes a case in Hitler’s Pope that is very
difficult to refute.�
—New York Times Book Review

“Devastating…instead of a portrait of a man worthy of sainthood,
Cornwell lays out the story of a narcissistic, power-hungry
manipulator.� —James Carroll, Atlantic Monthly

“A book that cannot, and should not, be ignored.�
—The Reverend John F. Morley, Commonweal

“Scathing.�
—Time

“If anything, given the hideous consequences of the Holocaust and the
culpability of millions of people who did not fight against it, Cornwell
is cir***scribed and methodical…. Read this book.�
—Michael Pakenham, Baltimore Sun

Praise for John Cornwell’s Breaking Faith:

“A provocative, deeply personal, and intelligent book.�
—Library Journal

“[Cornwell] knows the inner workings of the Vatican and the tensions
dividing conservatives and liberals.�
—New York Times Book Review

“Vigorous … honest … compelling.�
—Rupert Shortt, Times Literary Supplement


From the Inside Flap

Over more than a quarter of a century, John Paul II has firmly set his
stamp on the billion-member strong Catholic Church for future
generations and he has become one of the most influential political
figures in the world. His key role in the downfall of communism in
Europe, as well as his apologies for the Catholic Church’s treatment
of Jews and to victims of the Inquisition, racism, and religious wars,
won him worldwide admiration. Yet his papacy has also been marked by
what many perceive as misogyny, homophobia, and ecclesiastical tyranny.
Some critics suggest that his perpetuation of the Church’s traditional
hierarchical paternalism contributed to pedophiliac behavior in the
priesthood and encouraged superiors to sweep the crimes under the
carpet. The Pontiff in Winter brings John Paul’s complex,
contradictory character into sharp focus. In a bold, highly original
work, John Cornwell argues that John Paul’s mystical view of history
and conviction that his mission has been divinely established are
central to understanding his pontificate. Focusing on the period from
the eve of the millennium to the present, Cornwell shows how John
Paul’s increasing sense of providential rightness profoundly
influenced his reactions to turbulence in the secular world and within
the Church, including the 9/11 attacks, the pedophilia scandals in the
United States, the clash between Islam and Christianity, the ongoing
debates over the Church’s policies regarding women, homo***uals,
abortion, AIDS, and other social issues, and much more. A close, trusted
observer of the Vatican, Cornwell combines eyewitness reporting with
information from the best sources in and outside the pope’s inner
circle. Always respectful of John Paul’s prodigious spirit and
unrelenting battles for human rights and religious freedom, Cornwell
raises serious questions about a system that grants lifetime power to an
individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness. The
result is a moving, elegiac portrait of John Paul in the winter of his
life and a thoughtful, incisive assessment of his legacy to the Church.