Be Specific About Books Conducive To Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope
Original Title: | Mistress of the Vatican |
ISBN: | 0061245550 (ISBN13: 9780061245558) |
Edition Language: | English |
Characters: | Olimpia Maidalchini, Pope Innocent X, Cardinal Alessandro Bichi, Cardinal Sforza Pallavicino |
Eleanor Herman
Hardcover | Pages: 452 pages Rating: 3.93 | 1558 Users | 206 Reviews
Mention Out Of Books Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope
Title | : | Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope |
Author | : | Eleanor Herman |
Book Format | : | Hardcover |
Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 452 pages |
Published | : | August 12th 2008 by William Morrow (first published 2008) |
Categories | : | History. Nonfiction. Biography. Cultural. Italy. Religion. Historical |
Explanation In Favor Of Books Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope
Eleanor Herman, the talented author of the New York Times bestselling Sex with Kings and Sex with the Queen goes behind the sacred doors of the Catholic Church in Mistress of the Vatican, a scintillating biography of a powerful yet little-known woman whose remarkable story is ripe with secrets, sex, passion, and ambition. For almost four centuries this astonishing story of a woman’s absolute power over the Vatican has been successfully buried—until now.Rating Out Of Books Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope
Ratings: 3.93 From 1558 Users | 206 ReviewsWeigh Up Out Of Books Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope
I enjoy off beat historical moments and this one was outside my normal boundaries. In 1600's Italy, Olimpia Maidalchini was a woman to reckon with. She refused to obey her father when he ordered her and her two younger sisters to join a convent. She had a head for figures and an interest in legal matters, which are hardly womanly attributes. She had a very long memory for slights and disagreements--and a way of subtly and not so subtly redressing any wrongs done to her and her family. For years"MISTRESS OF THE VATICAN,"by Eleanor HermanWhen I'm at the bookstore or library I tend to pick up anything that has "Vatican" in the title, so I couldn't pass up something as titillating as "Mistress of the Vatican" when publisher William Morrow offered a review copy.The jacket cover suggested hanky-panky with the bare-shouldered portrait of a beautiful woman with a painting of St. Peter's Basilica and Square covering her, uh, feminine charms, and a subtitle, "The True Story of Olimpia
The subject of the book was fascinating, but the author never really brought her to life for me. What I enjoyed the most was the portrayal of the papal court in the 17th century. The way corruption and nepotism were institutionalized in the Vatican of the time was enlightening. I'm glad I read it because it's helped me to understand the Protestant Reformation in a way I never did before.
This is interesting, but I don't think I have time to read it now. Plus, it does the irritating thing where it gives a bunch of background info but fails to cite the source. I hate that. (It does have some evidence for 8-pointed stars as existing before 1600 ... which is of interest to very few people. But anyway.)
I enjoyed this book overall. My only criticism is that are certain points in the book it almost felt like I was reading historical fiction rather than non-fiction. This isn't bad by itself but it makes you wonder which part is fact and which part is author speculation based on the evidence. Other than that I really liked the book. It gave an interesting insight into the 17th century Catholic Church and all the politics and intrigue that occured. Olimpia Maidalchini may not have been the nicest
I couldn't get into this. Too much speculation, not enough source material, and written like a breathless romance novel.
Book reveals one of many sordid chapters in the history of the Catholic Church. Set in 17th century Italy, the story weaves real historically-documented characters, places, events, and times when the church was nothing but a vehicle to fulfill family ambitions and enrich family coffers. I loved and hated all the characters who robbed, deceived, bribed, and manipulated each other (the powerful) and abused their authority over the masses. It wasn't the holiest who got to be Pope, but the
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