Most Popular Books by Piers Paul Read

#1 New York Times Bestseller: The true story behind Netflix''s Society of the Snow—A rugby team resorts to the unthinkable after a plane crash in the Andes. Spirits were high when the Fairchild F-227 took off from Mendoza, Argentina, and headed for Santiago, Chile. On board were forty-five people, including an amateur rugby team from Uruguay and their friends and family. The skies were clear that Friday, October 13, 1972, and at 3:30 p.m., the Fairchild''s pilot reported their altitude at 15,000 feet. But one minute later, the Santiago control tower lost all contact with the aircraft. For eight days, Chileans, Uruguayans, and Argentinians searched for it, but snowfall in the Andes had been heavy, and the odds of locating any wreckage were slim. Ten weeks later, a Chilean peasant in a remote valley noticed two haggard men desperately gesticulating to him from across a river. He threw them a pen and paper, and the note they tossed back read: "I come from a plane that fell in the mountains . . ." Sixteen of the original forty-five passengers on the F-227 survived its horrific crash. In the remote glacial wilderness, they camped in the plane''s fuselage, where they faced freezing temperatures, life-threatening injuries, an avalanche, and imminent starvation. As their meager food supplies ran out, and after they heard on a patched-together radio that the search parties had been called off, it seemed like all hope was lost. To save their own lives, these men and women not only had to keep their faith, they had to make an impossible decision: Should they eat the flesh of their dead friends? A remarkable story of endurance and determination, friendship and the human spirit, Alive is the dramatic bestselling account of one of the most harrowing quests for survival in modern times. "A classic in the literature of survival." — Newsweek

Explores the rise, fall, and far-reaching legacy of the Knights Templar.

Archaeologists in Jerusalem make a revolutionary discovery in this “beautifully written” thriller from a #1 New York Times–bestselling author (Ruth Rendell). John Lambert, Catholic priest and professor of biblical archaeology, returns to London from an archaeological dig in Israel—and not long after, he’s found dead, hanged in his room. It’s only the first shocking discovery for his assistant, Andrew Nash, a young friar. The second is the reason for the spiritual disillusionment that led his mentor to such a desperate act: irrefutable evidence of the skeletal remains of Jesus Christ excavated under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. The find could shake the core doctrine of the Catholic Church and destroy the very foundation of the Christian faith. But it also poses a grave threat to Nash and his associate, Israeli archaeologist Michael Dagan—because they’re not the only ones scrambling to piece together the clues to this ancient mystery. In their shadow are the KGB, the Israeli Secret Service, and an ambitious American cardinal. But are they collaborators in a diabolical hoax or coconspirators in a cover-up of the most damning discovery in history? The answer “chills the blood and makes the hair stand on end . . . confirming Read as one of our strongest novelists” (The Independent). “It’s hard to imagine a more provocative thesis,” said the New York Times of this forerunner to the biblical conspiracy thrillers of Dan Brown and Kate Mosse. On the Third Day is “an enthralling read—touch[ing] upon a number of current theological controversies” (Kirkus Reviews).

The Death of a Pope is a powerful new novel by the acclaimed British writer Piers Paul Read. Juan Uriarte, a handsome and outspoken Spanish ex-priest, seems to be the model of nonviolence and compassion for the poor and downtrodden. So why is he on trial, accused of terrorist activities? His worldwide Catholic charitable outreach program is suspected of being a front for radicals. The trial is covered by Kate Ramsay, a young British reporter, who sets out to undercover the truth about Uriarte and his work. She travels with him to Africa to see his work first hand but soon finds herself attracted to him. Meanwhile an international conspiracy is growing, one that reaches into the Vatican itself. When the death of Pope John Paul II brings the conclave that will elect Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, a terrorist plot involving blackmail, subterfuge, and mass murder begins to fall into place... a plot that could spell disaster for the Catholic Church and the world. Piers Paul Read''s powerful tale combines vivid characters, high drama, love, betrayal, faith, and redemption in a story of intrigue, of church espionage, and an attempt to destroy the longest continuous government in the world - the Papacy. The Death of a Pope races toward an unexpected and unforgettable conclusion.

Intelligent, ambitious and a rising star in the French artillery, Captain Alfred Dreyfus appeared to have everything: family, money, and the prospect of a post on the General Staff. But his rapid rise had also made him enemies - many of them aristocratic officers in the army''s High Command who resented him because he was middle-class, meritocratic and a Jew. In October 1894, the torn fragments of an unsigned memo containing military secrets were retrieved by a cleaning lady from the waste paper basket of Colonel Maximilien von Schwartzkoppen of the German embassy in Paris. When French intelligence pieced the document back together to uncover proof of a spy in their midst, Captain Dreyfus, on slender evidence, was charged with selling military secrets to the Germans, found guilty of treason by unanimous verdict and sentenced to life imprisonment on the notorious Devil''s Island. The fight to free the wrongfully convicted Dreyfus - over twelve long years, through many trials - is a story rife with heroes and villains, courage and cowardice, dissimulation and deceit. One of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in history, the Dreyfus affair divided France, stunned the world and unleashed violent hatreds and anti-Semitic passions which offered a foretaste of what was to play out in the long, bloody twentieth century to come. Today, amid charged debates over national and religious identity across the globe, its lessons throw into sharp relief the conflicts of the present. In the hands of historian, biographer and prize-winning novelist Piers Paul Read, this masterful epic of the struggle between a minority seeking justice and a military establishment determined to save face comes dramatically alive for a new generation.

It is the late 18th century and Sicilian nobleman Vitello Scarpia finds himself penniless and in disgrace on the streets of Rome. After leaving his home in pursuit of a military career, his fiery passion has seen him expelled from the Spanish royal guard and left to seek his fortune in Italy; a fortune inseparably bound to the Pope, whose rule is put in question by the French Revolution. Scarpia enrolls in the papal army and is soon taken up by a countess eager to have a handsome young officer at her side. She introduces Scarpia into Roman society, and he is both enthralled and agitated by its mix of religiosity, sophistication, decadence, and intrigue. Then, on a mission to Venice, he meets the gifted, beautiful singer Floria Tosca. And as the armies of revolutionary France advance into Italy, and war and revolution engulf the whole peninsula, these two lives become entwined. Steeped in factual detail and exploring the lives--part historical, part fictional--of figures from Puccini''s famous opera, Scarpia shines a light into dusty corridors of history and dark corners of the human soul.

''A telling portrait of an older man after a miserable divorce ... a well-observed portrait of middle-class London life for the older single man. It''s hilariously funny'' Saga ''At once eloquent and entertaining, intelligent and incisive ... Novels don''t come more diverting or sublimely satirical than this'' Tatler Jomier has reached the age of retirement, his children are grown up and his wife, after having an affair, has left him. Embittered and humiliated, he lives alone in London, mourning the disintegration of his marriage as he broods about the past and the present. When he falls for Judith, things begin to improve. Yet he still cannot escape his old habits and it is only when his daughter falls ill that he begins to reassess his feelings towards those he loves and his ability to forgive. Darkly humorous, ruthlessly satirical and surprisingly moving, The Misogynist is a perceptive exploration of the ways in which we can unintentionally let past disappointments affect our present, and how difficult it can be to move forward.

To chronicle the catastrophe, the author interviewed the engineers and operators on duty at the time, talked to the director, now serving a ten year sentence for negligence, visited the previously top-secret Kurchatov Institute, Moscow''s Hospital No. 6, and the once-closed city of Obninsk. The author also gained access to the transcripts of the trail of the reactor operators, the protocol of the previously secret Medical Commission, and other confidential reports. Includes 16 pages of bandw photos. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Un libro que relata la historia de los cristianos en Tierra Santa y de los Templarios, por el autor obtuvo el reconocimiento internacional de los lectores por ¡Viven! La tragedia de los Andes. Alabados por su ascetismo, castidad y defensa a ultranza del cristianismo, denostados por herejes, sodomitas y traidores capaces de vender Tierra Santa a los infieles musulmanes, fuente de inspiración del genio creativo de Wagner en Parsifal y de Walter Scott en Ivanhoe, los caballeros templarios formaron uno de los ejércitos más temidos y poderosos de la historia. Haciendo alarde de su habilidad para plasmar los acontecimientos del pasado, el historiador y novelista Piers Pauls Read nos ofrece una emocionante crónica en la que separa realidad y ficción, relatando con detalle el ascenso y declive de los monjes guerreros en su contexto política y social . Opinión: «Una obra enriquecedora y hermosa que se estructura como una buena novela policíaca.» Booklist

A European conspiracy and a fanatic Catholic sect are behind Piers Paul Reads superb new novel-both a thriller and a love story.

The famous British novelist and playwright Piers Paul Read presents his lively, thought-provoking reflections on wide ranging spiritual topics with his usual brilliance and insight. When this best-selling writer turns his attention to a subject he holds most dear, his Catholic faith, as well as to religious and cultural issues of our times, he provokes delight and inspiration, as well as some fury and controversy. This illuminating volume presents a selection of Read''s most elegant and memorable writings on subjects ranging from Christians and Jews, liberation theology, and The Da Vinci Code to sexual desire, saints and Pope Benedict XVI. Book jacket.

By critically acclaimed author Piers Paul Read, Alice in Exile is an exquisite historical novel featuring Alice Fry--a free-thinking and independent-minded woman in a world ruled by men--and the two men who love her. It is 1913 when Alice, the daughter of a radical publisher, meets Edward Cobb, the eligible young son of a baronet who has recently quit the army to pursue his political ambitions. Edward''s family could accept his liaison with a girl they consider "fast," but when he proposes, they are appalled. When Alice''s father becomes involved in a scandal, it becomes clear that Edward must choose between Alice and his political career. He breaks off the engagement, unaware that his lover is expecting his child. Desperate, Alice accepts the offer of a rich and charming (if somewhat predatory) Baron Rettenberg, returning to Russia with him to serve as a governess for his children, while Edward marries suitably, but unhappily. Two of the greatest cataclysms of the twentieth century--the Russian Revolution and World War I--serve as backdrops to Alice''s story as she raises her young son, yearns for Edward, and begins to fall passionately for the Baron. Alice in Exile is Piers Paul Read''s triumphant return to the fiction for which he is widely hailed--romantic, dramatic, and rich with historical detail and fascinating characters that make Alice''s story an enchanting and unforgettable read.

A portrait based on access to the late actor''s personal writings offers insight into his experiences as a soldier in World War II, his stage and film achievements, and his fiercely private personal life.

The author of Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors draws from a palette of love, theft, politics, and murder to create a thrilling new novel. Set in 1991, after the fall of the Wall, and one year later in Moscow, The Patriot tells of a Russian security officer and an American art historian caught up in the investigation of the murder of an emigree Russian couple involved in the export of priceless icons.

''What was revolutionary, in Francis, was his belief that one could remain in the world and yet be holy.'' Piers Paul Read, from the Introduction Francis de Sales was born in France and became Bishop of Geneva in the early seventeenth century. Famed for his patience, he was known as a preacher, evangelist and spiritual director. Together with Jane de Chantal, he founded the congregation of the Visitation of Holy Mary. Written to help lay people to live in the world without being influenced by its spirit, Introduction to the Devout Life is a timeless classic on spiritual growth. It provides a series of practical meditations that can enrich the reader''s prayer life. In short, pithy chapters, Francis de Sales gives advice on such topics as humility, patience and poverty of spirit. His aim is to guide anyone with courage and determination to live a life of true devotion.

Traditionally believed to be written by King Solomon himself, though later attributed to his friends and followers, the author of the Greek text is well versed in the popular philosophical, religious, and ethical writings adopted by Hellenistic Alexandria. In his introduction, Piers Paul Read contemplates this story that impressed him greatly as a child, one in which wisdom pleases God so greatly he gives Solomon everything else besides.

Bestseller #1 de TheNew York Times: La verdadera historia de un equipo de rugby que recurre a lo inimaginable cuando su avión se estrella en los Andes. Reinaba el buen ánimo cuando el Fairchild F-227 despegó desde Mendoza, Argentina, con rumbo a Santiago, Chile. Había cuarenta y cinco pasajeros a bordo, entre ellos un equipo de rugby amateur uruguayo y los amigos y parientes de los jugadores. El cielo estaba despejado ese viernes 13 de octubre de 1972 y, a las 15:30 de la tarde, el piloto del Fairchild anunció que se encontraban a 15.000 pies de altura. Sin embargo, un minuto después, la torre de control de Santiago perdió todo contacto con la aeronave. Chilenos, uruguayos y argentinos buscaron el avión durante ocho días pero había nevado con intensidad sobre los Andes y las posibilidades de encontrar los restos eran escasas. Diez semanas más tarde, un campesino vio a dos hombres con aspecto harapiento haciendo señas, desesperados, desde el otro lado de un río. Les tiró un pedazo de papel y un bolígrafo envueltos en un pañuelo y los hombres enseguida le devolvieron una nota que leía: “Venimos de un avión que cayó en las montañas”. Dieciséis pasajeros sobrevivieron. Acamparon en el fuselaje del avión en medio de la naturaleza gélida de los Andes, donde soportaron temperaturas heladas, peligrosas lesiones, una avalancha, y hambre extrema. Cuando comenzaron a acabarse las escasas provisiones de alimento y, luego de oír en la radio que habían logrado armar, que los equipos de rescate habían cesado su búsqueda, las esperanzas de los pasajeros se empezaron a desvanecer. Con el fin de salvar sus propias vidas, estos tuvieron que no sólo mantener la fe, sino que también debieron tomar una imposible decisión: comer o no la carne de sus amigos que habían muerto. Una historia de resiliencia, determinación, y el espíritu humano, ¡Viven! es un relato conmovedor de una historia de supervivencia desgarradora.

Political fable, with Karl Marx''s daughter as a main character, dealing with revolutionaries on earth and in Heaven.

Hilary Fletcher is the clever son of a humble vicar. When his father takes up the living at Lasterby in Yorkshire, Hilary finds himself equally ill-at-ease in both the grand drawing rooms of the manor house and the earthy kitchen of his farmer uncle. As he grows older it is the aristocratic Metheralls in the manor that engage his imagination not his rough-and-tumble cousins. By the time he goes up to Cambridge, Hilary is in love with Harriet Metherall and believes himself to be loved by her. His illusions casually shattered, he descends into a life of corruption that soon makes him rich and powerful enough to please himself, never mind his betters. Now the Metheralls are going to find out who really calls the shots.

A Patriot In Berlin is the dramatic story of Berlin after the fall of the Wall, and Moscow after Gorbachev - of love, faith and patriotism in conflict. Berlin, August 1991. An emigre Russian couple are found murdered. American art historian Francesca McDermott is recruited to organise a major retrospective of 20th century Russian painting. In Moscow, the search begins for a rogue former KGB agent, Andrei Orlov, who has disappeared without trace. Three seemingly unconnected events.... Working alongside Francesca is a Russian expert on the art that Communism dismissed as `decadent`. Serotkin is combative, attractive, mysterious; he is also secretive, and his secrets hold lives to ransom.

Bertrand de Roujay was a free Frenchman, a Catholic aristocrat and conservative. He was swept away by the magnificent Madeleine Bonnet, daughter of a leftist historian--and by the rising tide of World War II. "Vivid and vigorous . . . absorbing and rich".--The New Yorker.