content: Not much to say here. Manchester's not a professional historian, has no particular expertise in this period of history, and occasionally gets his facts wrong. Far worse, however, is the fact that he lets his hatred of Catholicism run wild. He's so bigoted that his interpretations are suspect and his conclusions absurd. If you're looking for a quick read that confirms your personal prejudices against the Catholic church, then this is the book for you. If you're looking for something a bit less biased, then I'd suggest you look elsewhere.