«[An] elegantly written, sweeping account of Catholics in these islands from the Reformation to the present day. It’s a tale of high drama and high stakes, by turns horrifying, romantic and ultimately hopeful.»
Peter Stanford, Observer
The story of Catholicism in Britain from the Reformation to the present day, from a master of popular history - 'A first-class storyteller' The Times Les mer
«[An] elegantly written, sweeping account of Catholics in these islands from the Reformation to the present day. It’s a tale of high drama and high stakes, by turns horrifying, romantic and ultimately hopeful.»
Peter Stanford, Observer
«big-hearted, fair-minded, insightful...a joy to read»
Frank Cottrell-Boyce, New Statesman
«Enjoyable… Perfectly solid, sensible and often astute.»
Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times
«Hattersley narrates… with his characteristic energy… His talent for invective remains strong.»
Gerard Degroot, Times
«Hattersley offers a scholarly chronicle of heroism and holiness in post-Reformation Britain, when the age of Catholic saints and miracles was seen to survive against the odds.»
Ian Thomson, Financial Times
«Thoroughly entertaining… I heartily recommend this volume, which is written with great brio, intelligence and charm; and with a wistful distance from his subjects’ faith which I found very appealing.»
A.N. Wilson, Catholic Herald
«Hattersley… excels in describing political machinations… One must admire his courage, not to say his chutzpah, in undertaking a book of such enormous scope.»
Michael Walsh, Tablet
«Thoughtful and thought provoking, minutely researched and well-written»
Choice
«The author writes with authority... He engages with his material and shares his enthusiasm with the reader. But equally he is detached: he has no interest in covering up scandals or selling a party line. The engaged outsider becomes a compelling biographer, at once intrigued and underwhelmed by his subject-matter»
Lavinia Byrne, Church Times