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The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara

Name: The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
Price: 2.25 USD
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Rating: 4.3 (235 reviews)

4.3 of 5 Stars: Biographies - The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara

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Book Synopsis: Soon to be a major motion picture from Steven Spielberg. A National Book Award Finalist. The extraordinary story of how the vatican's imprisonment of a six-year-old Jewish boy in 1858 helped to bring about the collapse of the popes' worldly power in Italy.

Bologna: nightfall, June 1858. A knock sounds at the door of the Jewish merchant Momolo Mortara. Two officers of the Inquisition bust inside and seize Mortara's six-year-old son, Edgardo. As the boy is wrenched from his father's arms, his mother collapses. The reason for his abduction: the boy had been secretly "baptized" by a family servant. According to papal law, the child is therefore a Catholic who can be taken from his family and delivered to a special monastery where his conversion will be completed.

With this terrifying scene, prize-winning historian David I. Kertzer begins the true story of how one boy's kidnapping became a pivotal event in the collapse of the Vatican as a secular power. The book evokes the anguish of a modest merchant's family, the rhythms of daily life in a Jewish ghetto, and also explores, through the revolutionary campaigns of Mazzini and Garibaldi and such personages as Napoleon III, the emergence of Italy as a modern national state. Moving and informative, the Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara reads as both a historical thriller and an authoritative analysis of how a single human tragedy changed the course of history.

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Experience the gripping true story that inspired the upcoming Steven Spielberg film. "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara" is a National Book Award Finalist that delves into the extraordinary events that led to the collapse of the Vatican's power in Italy. Immerse yourself in this heart-wrenching tale set in Bologna, June 1858.

Picture this: A knock echoes through the door of the Jewish merchant Momolo Mortara. In an instant, his world is shattered as officers of the Inquisition burst in and seize his innocent six-year-old son, Edgardo. His crime? A secret baptism carried out by a family servant. According to papal law, Edgardo is now considered a Catholic - a justification to tear him away from his family and send him to a secluded monastery to complete his conversion. Feel the anguish that this family endures as their lives are forever altered by this harrowing incident.

But it doesn't stop there. "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara" goes beyond the confines of the Mortara family's tragedy and unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Italy. Delve into the political landscape of the time, as influential figures like Mazzini, Garibaldi, and Napoleon III shape the country's destiny. Witness the birth of Italy as a modern national state, and discover how this single act of kidnapping became a turning point in the Vatican's secular power.

Not only is "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara" an enthralling historical thriller, but it also presents an expert analysis of how a single human tragedy can forever alter the course of history. Immerse yourself in this moving and informative book that offers a riveting glimpse into the past while shedding light on the present. Don't miss out on this captivating read - order your copy today!

Order "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara" now and embark on a journey through history that will leave you breathless.

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