Reformation: The Dangerous Birth of the Modern World Paperback - 2010

From the publisher

500 Years ago, Europe went through one of the most remarkable and turbulent periods in its history. The lines of political and theological power were rewritten in ways that were nuanced, subtle and philosophical, but also in ways that resulted in bloody massacre and destruction. Absorbing and insightful, this book offers a deep and engaging analysis of events that still echo loudly today. Here are just some of the comments from the reviews of the hardback: 'A superb book'
Dr Will Storrar, Director, Centre for Theological Inquiry, PrincetonUniversity. 'A compelling and sometimes disturbing pageturner which gives colourful life to this dangerous and bloody battle for religious democracy and freedom across Europe.'
Life and Work Magazine 'Every so often an author finds a subject which fully suits their intellectual capacities, and the result is a stimulating and timeless book. Reid and the Reformation form that perfect match: there can be no higher praise.'
Trevor Royle in The Herald 'Harry Reid's Reformation is a timely reassessment of the crucial series of events that created modern Scotland...most remarkably, Reid tells the story in a way that includes all traditions and lays aside any suggestion of sectarianism.'
Mike Russell MSP, Scottish Education Minister, in The Scotsman Books of the Year 'Highly contentious and contagiously readable'
Alan Taylor in The Sunday Herald
'Its brilliance exists in Reid's prose style, and his desire, even need, to be argumentative. He is a world class arguer..... He has produced a challenging, fluent, fallible and ultimately captivating history..'
The Scottish Review of Books 'Spirited, opinionated and fluently written'
Jonathan Wright in the Catholic Herald
'A splendidly-written, extremely-readable book'
The Press and Journal
'A well-crafted, pleasant and readable history of the whole Reformation'
Christianity Magazine
'An enthralling look at a period of history that shaped a nation... Harry Reid's ambitious evaluation of the Protestant Reformation is an illuminating and entertaining read'
The Scottish Catholic Observer
'The great characters and events of one of the most influential movements in history have found in Reid a chronicler and debater worthy of their stature.'
Rosemary Goring editor of Scotland: The Autobiography
'Reid breathes life into the extraordinary personalities and writes with fluency and pace, articulating trenchant, provocative and often controversial judgments on virtually every page of this very readable book.'
TM Devine, Sir William Fraser Professor of Scottish History and Palaeography, University of Edinburgh.
'Harry Reid is a gifted journalist, and this book was just waiting to be written by him. We need a new and accessible look at the Reformation in all its revolutionary complexity, and this is it. It's a smashing read.'
Richard Holloway
'Each reader of this fine book will draw their own conclusions... I do commend it to a wide audience.'
Keith Patrick Cardinal O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh