The School of History’s Dr Ambrogio Caiani has recently appeared on the New Books in History podcast to discuss his new work To Kidnap a Pope: Napoleon and Pius VII. The book, which was recently selected as a book of the year by The Spectator, is a new examination of the tempestuous relationship between the Catholic church and the Napoleonic empire in the 19th century. The podcast can be accessed freely on the on the New Books website.
During the interview, hosted by Charles Coutinho of the Royal Historical Society, Ambrogio introduces his book and its central thesis, and answers questions about the Napoleon’s life and career, his own relationship with Catholicism and the church, as well as the political and religious landscapes in which Napoleon was operating.
‘It was a great thrill to be interviewed about my recent work and it is wonderful to have an opportunity to disseminate my research through podcasting,’ Ambrogio says, reflecting on the interview. ‘The positive feedback has been very flattering.’
New Books in History is part of the New Books Network, a consortium of author-interview podcast channels dedicated to raising the level of public discourse by introducing scholars to a wide public via new media.