The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David I. Kertzer Review

The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David I. Kertzer

The Pope and Mussolini have quite a bit in common. Neither believed in freedom of speech or press. They both banned books and controlled the media. Mussolini was deeply immoral in his personal life. The Pope was surrounded by pedophiles and perverts. They were both fascists (the Pope a Catholic fascist). They were both anti-semitic and passed laws that took away the most basic rights of Italian citizens who were Jewish.

Mussolini wanted to make Italy “great again.” The Pope wanted to make the Catholic Church “great again” and the only option. Sound familiar!

Why are there no heroes in this story to stand up to these men in Italy. The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David I. Kertzer is a maddening story to read, mainly because the Pope and Mussolini are so repugnant. 

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Joseph Raffetto

Joseph Raffetto earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from San Diego State University. He can be found online @noovella on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. His books are available on all online booksellers.