A History of the Catholic Church tells in 127 short chapters the story of one of the world’s largest religions from its roots in Jewish history to the pontificate of Benedict XVI. In a taut narrative, it describes how the small community of those who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God grew into a powerful institution whose patriarch, the pope, claimed both secular and spiritual jurisdiction over all the nations of Christendom. There are chapters on the major challenges it faced such as the rise of Islam, the schism with the Orthodox Church, the Protestant Reformation, French Revolution, Bolshevism, Nazism and secularism. There are also short chapters on Catholic art, architecture, philosophy and literature. It is not an academic treatise but a selection of episodes chosen to entertain as well as inform the reader. Piers Paul Read is the author of 17 novels and eight works of non-fiction, among them Alive. The Story of the Andes Survivors (1974). He studied History at Cambridge University, and has written a history of the crusading order, The Templars (1999), and an account of the infamous miscarriage of justice in France in the nineteenth century, The Dreyfus Affair (2012). The Templars ‘A highly readable and nicely paced book that draws on the lessons of modern historical scholarship while also communicating a sense of narrative excitement and drive.’ Evening Standard The Dreyfus Affair ‘In bringing his novelist’s eye to bear on events, Read ensures they unfold with a compelling sense of drama.’ The Sunday Times