Books like Hadrian the Seventh by Frederick William Rolfe
In this playful novel, George Arthur Rose—a hack writer and minor priest—receives the astonishing news that he has been selected as the new Pope. Rejecting surprise or fear, he accepts the role with characteristic boldness, proclaiming that the previous English pontiff was Hadrian the Fourth and the present one is Hadrian the Seventh. The story is written by Frederick William Rolfe, an eccentric English author known for his aristocratic pretensions, religious obsession, and self-aggrandizing style. Set within a satirical view of ecclesiastical authority, the book blends humor with wit, offering a unique take on papal succession and the absurdities of clerical life.
First publish date: 1963
Genre: Humorous Fiction/Comedy Fiction
Authors: Frederick William Rolfe
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"Hadrian, a Roman emperor, the builder of Hadrian's Wall in the north of England, a restless and ambitious man who was interested in architecture and was passionate about Greece and Greek culture. Is this the common image today of the ruler of one of the greatest powers of the ancient world?" "Published to complement a major exhibition at the British Museum, this wide-ranging book rediscovers Hadrian. The sharp contradictions in his personality are examined, previous concepts are questioned and myths that surround him are exploded."--Jacket.
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