A candid and probing biography of the Pope - arguably one of the most important world leaders of this century. Born in a small village in southern Poland he originally wanted to write plays. In World War II he repeatedly escaped German round-ups of young men and somehow continued writing and acting in theatre. He rose to an influential role in the church during the Cold War and became one of those most responsible for the overthrow of Communism. The book makes clear how the Vatican has long been a prime covert operation on the international scene. Yet while working to end Communist tyranny, John Paul II colluded in protecting despotism in Latin America. It is the paradox of the man closest to God that Jonathan Kwitny explores in his momentous biography.
