Description

The Surprising History and Legacy of the Inquisition

The renowned historian and critic Jonathan Kirsch presents a sweeping history of the Inquisition and the ways in which it has served as the chief model for torture in the West to this day. Ranging from the Knights Templar to the first Protestants; from Joan of Arc to Galileo; from the Inquisition's immense power in Spain after 1492, when the secret tribunals and torture chambers were directed for the first time against Jews and Muslims, to the torture and murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent women during the Witch Craze; and to the modern war on terror—Kirsch shows us how the Inquisition stands as a universal and ineradicable reminder of how absolute power wreaks inevitable corruption.

About the author(s)

Jonathan Kirsch is the author of ten books, including the national bestseller The Harlot by the Side of the Road and his most recent work, the Los Angeles Times bestseller A History of the End of the World. Kirsch is also a book columnist for the Los Angeles Times, a broadcaster for NPR affiliates in Southern California, and an adjunct professor at New York University.

Reviews

“Kirsch offers up an amazing recounting of the abuses of clergy and state in those terrible times. Kirsch’s powerful and cautionary account is essential reading for historians and anyone who wants to understand the potential dark side of religion.” — Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“A scathing account of the Inquisition’s 600-year campaign to stifle religious dissent, as well as to persecute various groups of people it branded as alien menaces to communal security.” –Los Angeles Times — Los Angeles Times

“Jonathan Kirsch is a fine storyteller with a flair for rendering ancient tales relevant and appealing to modern audiences.” --Washington Post — Washington Post

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