Description
Book SynopsisWhen an independent Poland reappeared on the map of Europe after World War I, it was widely regarded as the most Catholic country on the continent. Yet the relations of the Second Polish Republic with the Church proved far more difficult than expected.
Trade Review“It is impossible to summarize the complex history that unfolds with gripping tension and wonderful detail in Professor Pease’s marvelous book….
Rome’s Most Faithful Daughter is a riveting read that combines an engaging style with academic rigor. It should travel easily beyond the confines of academe and grace the bookshelves of anyone interested in Poland, in the Vatican, in church-state relations, and the ambitions, friendships and rivalries of men and institutions.” * The Cosmopolitan Review *
“This excellent book is highly recommended for those interested in the history of Poland, interwar Europe, the Catholic Church, and World War II. It also has important things to say about church-state relations, namely, that even in a country celebrated for its Catholicity, relations between church and state can be complex and troubled.” * Slavic Review *
“I have no doubt that this monograph (
Rome’s Most Faithful Daughter) is set to become the standard work on the topic.” * Canadian Slavonic Papers *
A “subtle and sophisticated scholarly study…. Pease’s study is impressively grounded in archival and printed sources and reflects a mastery of the secondary literature. Very well written, it is an authoritative work that corrects conventional wisdom.” * Church History *
“
Rome’s Most Faithful Daughter is elegantly written, scrupulously researched, and persuasively argued. Above all, it manages to strike a rare balance while dealing with a topic that is replete with polemical landmines…. This book will offer revelations even for specialists in Polish history, but its audience should extend far beyond that subfield to encompass anyone interested in the history of Catholicism in modern Europe.” * The Catholic Historical Review *
“Making clear what actually happened in and to Poland between the wars, Pease provides an insightful contribution to understanding the major issues faced by Europe. Each of the nine chapters is admirably clear, often eloquent, and well informed…. Summing Up: Highly recommended.” * Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries *
“Neal Pease’s minutely researched
Rome’s Most Faithful Daughter is not just first-class political history earning its place among the best of the type. It is a detailed recounting of the four-way dance between socialist leader Pilsudski, a Catholic nuncio (Msgr. Achille Ratti, later Pope Pius XI) who liked him and could overlook his peccadillos, a right-wing Polish hierarchy that detested Pilsudski and did not entirely trust Ratti to seek Poland’s best interests, and a Vatican papacy that needed its ‘most faithful daughter’ far more than most people realized…. (A) superbly researched and highly enlightening book.” * National Catholic Reporter *
“Historians and academics will value the substantial amount of information on this fragile time in Poland.” * Polish American Journal *
