God's Bankers: A History of Money and Power at the Vatican - Softcover

"A dogged reporter exhaustively pursues the nefarious enrichment of the Vatican, from the Borgias to Pope Francis.... A meticulous work that cracks wide open the Vatican's legendary, enabling secrecy." (Kirkus)

“A fast-paced read that brings history alive on every page. The book will captivate those who prefer their historical nonfiction spiked with real-life tales of murder, power, and intrigue.” (Booklist)

“Posner uses his superlative investigative skills to craft a fascinating and comprehensive look at the dark side of the Catholic Church…. Accessible and well written, Posner’s is the definitive history of the topic to date.” (Publishers Weekly (starred))

“A highly anticipated book, the result of a nine year investigation by author Gerald Posner. It reads like Robert Ludlow’s fiction [and] paints a picture of murder, double-dealing, and fraud surrounding the bank.” (Michael Smerconish, CNN)

"A stunning exposé by investigative reporter Gerald Posner. As exciting as a mystery thriller." (Providence Journal)

“Expertly shows that theory and conjecture aren’t necessary when the real-life narrative is compelling enough…. Posner’s history of the institution reads like a sprawling novel, full of complex characters and surprising twists….Readers interested in issues involving religion and international finance will find Posner’s work a compelling read.” (Library Journal)

“God’s Bankers is often fascinating reading, full of international intrigue….God’s Bankers is meticulously researched. Almost 200 pages of end notes indicate the care Posner took in nine years spent researching his subject….The book tells a compelling story, but never at the expense of journalistic principles. Posner might speculate, but he is always careful to mark it as such, and to point out the facts and primary sources that support or undermine the speculation….His work pulls together existing scholarship and massive amounts of original research to present the closest thing to a definitive account of the workings of money and finance within the Vatican that could be produced without cooperation from the Vatican itself.” (Washington Independent Review of Books)

“The Vatican began trying to reform its bank, but with only modest success. Now there's a new sheriff in town, Pope Francis, and he has made significant progress. Posner's compelling book provides a benchmark for measuring his success.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

"An outstanding book" (John L. Allen, journalist for The Boston Globe)

“Why all this reform? Wall Street-lawyer-turned-author Gerald Posner lays it out in his deeply researched, passionately argued book, ‘God's Bankers: A History of Money and Power at the Vatican.’ Posner…is a merciless pitbull of an investigator, marshaling mountains of evidence to make his arguments…. the heart of ‘God's Bankers’ lies in chapters devoted to the church's actions during and immediately after World War II. In these chapters, Posner dissects the church's actions with the eye of a prosecutor.” (Chicago Tribune)

Gerald Posner was one of the youngest attorneys ever hired by the Wall Street law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore. He is the author of eleven books, including New York Times bestsellers, and one a finalist for the Pulitzer in History. Posner has written dozens of articles for national magazines and papers and has been a regular contributor to NBC, the History Channel, CNN, FOX News, CBS, and MSNBC.