Killing the Pope
John Paul II and the Last Battle of the Cold War
$54.60
- Hardcover
368 pages
- Release Date
23 February 2027
Summary
A gripping account of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II from the bestselling author of Chernobyl.
On a warm, sunny afternoon in May 1981, more than 10,000 pilgrims from all over the world gather on St. Peter’s Square for the start of Pope John Paul II’s general audience. Out of nowhere, a gunshot is heard. John Paul collapses.
After surviving the attempted assassination, John Paul II said of the arrested gunman that ‘one hand pulled the trigger, another guided the…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780241774564 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 024177456X |
| Author: | Serhii Plokhy |
| Publisher: | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Imprint: | Allen Lane |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 368 |
| Release Date: | 23 February 2027 |
| Weight: | 564g |
| Dimensions: | 34mm x 162mm x 240mm |
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Critics Review
Serhii Plokhy, the author of excellent histories of Ukraine, Chernobyl and Yalta, has now turned his attention to the extraordinary story of Pope John Paul II’s near assassination and its tumultuous aftermath. Readers who admire his talent for combining archival work with strong characters and clear prose will not be disappointed – Anne Applebaum
Distinguished Harvard historian Serhii Plokhy explodes numerous Cold War myths in this meticulously researched account of the shooting of Pope John Paul II. Drawing on declassified Soviet bloc archives, he demonstrates convincingly that the so-called “Bulgarian connection” to the papal assassination plot was a liar’s fantasy embraced, promoted, and perhaps even inspired by American neocons. A cautionary tale on the seductive power of conspiracy theories, and how difficult it can be to combat them, both then and now – Michael Dobbs
Serhii Plokhy
Serhii Plokhy is the author of Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Pushkin House Book Prize, and the New York Times bestseller The Gates of Europe. His many acclaimed books, including The Russo-Ukrainian War, Nuclear Folly, and Atoms and Ashes, have been translated into over a dozen languages. He is Professor of History at Harvard University, where he also serves as Director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.
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