Francis Life & Revolution

A bestseller in its original Argentinian, Francis: Life and Revolution paints an intimate portrait of Jorge Bergoglio by Elisabetta Pique, a journalist who is also a close friend of the man who became the 266th and current Pope. The warm, personal narrative is rich in character and evocation of the subject and biographer's shared Argentinian heritage, making this unique among books about Bergoglio. Pique tells the story of his upbringing, and journey through priesthood to the Vatican, the Curia and ultimately to his election as Pope. Her text includes her phone conversations with Bergoglio in the days preceding the announcement, his fears and modest denials when she told him she believed it would be him, and a fascinating never-before-reported account of the deliberations of the Conclave that elected him. Before analysing the innovations and the polemic changes driven by the new Pope, the book tells of a good natured and kind man with a wonderful sense of humour married to strong convictions who risked his own life to help the victims of illegal repression in Argentina.