Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.9 / 5.0

Wonderful Research, Exciting Story, Horrifying Incident:

David I. Kertzer has written a wonderful account of a pivotal event in Italian, Jewish and Catholic history. The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara tells the story of the 1858 kidnapping of a six year old Jewish boy secretly baptized while a baby by a Catholic servant in the home. From this horrifying personal incident for this Jewish family the panorama of the story grows very large indeed, taking into account the Pope, the governments of Europe, and the forces for the unification of Italy. The author does a... more info

Putting the case Elian Gonzalez into perspective:

Bravo! If you are tired of the superficial coverage of the Elian Gonzalez case, and would like to enter a realm where it is possible to examine what seems like a sensational personal story of another era in light of history, religion, global politics, 19th century journalistic excesses, and family rights, read this book. The other customer and editorial reviews explain quite well what the facts of the book are. So I'll just add my voice to the others here and say that it is an amazing book, one that... more info

BUY IT NOW:

Rarely have i read a book that moved me as much as this one. Kertzer's account of the kidnapping of a jewish child from his family by the church is told with an eloquence and sensitivity that is truly extraordinary. This is a sad story. What could be worse than having your child stolen from you and there being absolutely nothing you can do about it. I felt a real anger that only progressed as the book went on. Kertzer brings forth the pain of Edgardo's father as he tries in vain to save his son. There is no... more info

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