Praise for The Reformation
"This isn't merely 'a history' of the Reformation, but rather '
the history.' One would be hard put to imagine a more detailed, even-handed, clearly written account of the religious controversies of the sixteenth century. . . . The Reformation is a learned, enlightening, and disturbing masterwork."
--Michael Dirda, The Washington Post Book World "Richly encyclopedic . . . MacCulloch brings the history of the Reformation into vivid focus, providing what must surely be the best general account available."
--Financial Times "Monumental . . .
The Reformation is set to become a landmark."
--Lisa Jardine, The Observer "Handled here with brilliance, this is the kind of history that normally gives even academic historians vertigo."
--The Economist "Deserves to become the standard history of early modern Europe religion and its legacy, synthesizing and assessing a quarter-century of international scholarship . . . Like the best of historians, he helps us to understand why we are; and why we need not be so."
--Ronald Hutton, The Independent "Wide-ranging, richly layered and captivating . . . This spectacular intellectual history reminds us that the Reformation grew out of the Renaissance, and provides a compelling glimpse of the cultural currents that formed the background to reform. MacCulloch's magisterial book should become the definitive history of the Reformation."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A masterpiece of readable scholarship . . . In its field it is the best book ever written."
--David Edwards, The Guardian "From Politics to witchcraft, from the liturgy to sex; the sweep of European history covered here is breathtakingly panoramic. This is a model work of history."
--Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph "Excellent . . . There are moments of sheer pleasure. . . . MacCulloch's well-paced style makes the book seem half its length."
--Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, The Sunday Times
A compelling history of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation examines the lasting implications of this dramatic period of upheaval in Western society, providing vivid profiles of the individuals involved--Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Loyola, Henry VIII, and others--their ideas, and the impact of the Reformation on everyday lives. Winner of the 2004 Wolfson Prize for History. Reprint.