The Vatican Pimpernel

The World War II Exploits of the Monsignor Who Saved Over 6,500 Lives

By: Brian Fleming

Narrated by: Brian Troxell

Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

An inspiring true story of bravery and faith.

During the German occupation of Rome from 1942-1944, Irishman Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty ran an escape organization for Allied POWs and civilians, including Jews. Safe within the Vatican state, he regularly ventured out in disguise to continue his mission, which earned him the nickname 'The Pimpernel of the Vatican'.

When the Allies entered Rome, he and his collaborators - priests, nuns, and laypeople of numerous nationalities and religious beliefs - had saved the lives of over 6,500 people.

The first new telling of this extraordinary story in decades, this book also addresses the fascinating dichotomy between O’Flaherty and Herbert Kappler, the Gestapo chief in Rome who ordered him killed, and who, after the war, reconciled with the monsignor, and even asked him to perform his baptism.

For his heroic efforts, O’Flaherty was awarded the highest honors, including a Congressional Medal, and was the first Irishman named the Notary of the Holy Office. His story was immortalized in the 1983 film The Scarlet and the Black, which starred Gregory Peck as O’Flaherty.

©2008 Brian Fleming (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Excellent Story- So so reader

What did you like best about this story?

That so many ordinary people exercised their faith and helped save the lives of so many people!

What aspect of Brian Troxell’s performance would you have changed?

I'm not sure whether he was attempting to mimic an Irish accent or simply reading the text the way it was written but I have a friend who is a native Chinese speaker and I'd bet his Irish accent was more believable then Brian's. I was also disappointed at how little he seemed to try to change his voice to differentiate between characters. Fortunately, the story stands on its own.

grade for people to remember

great for people remember that the majority of priests are very good people and they want to help their fellow man. And it's a Catholic Church that made society and kept Society going through all the hard times in the world thank you to the Pope Vatican the priest and all fellow Catholics

Amazing!

This is a man and a story that needs to be known! This should be required reading in school for everyone in the US, UK, and Ireland.

Fantastic

This book illuminated a whole new chapter of history for me. It opens a window into life in Rome during the German occupation during WWII.

I’ve listened to it twice and will again in the future. Captivating story, great reader, wonderful glimpse into life in Rome.

Awe inspiring account

The book was recommended to me by my 87 year old father. What an incredible, inspiring account of a truly selfless Monsignor. I had heard vague stories of what was done for Jews in and around Rome in WWII, but this recounts the heroism of so many involved and their mercy toward not only Jews, but anti-Fascist and escaped POWs. It's amazing what someone can do when they take themselves out of the equation.

Amazing story but needs better author

This was a fabulous book with great fax an interesting Information. It would be great for an author to put it into better chronological order and make it more story like so that the average reader could enjoy it more than just listen to the separate facts. I’d really like to see someone do justice to this fabulous hero.

Enthralling

I found this to be a fascinating story about an event I knew little about. I do remember in several of W.E.B. Griffin’s historical novels he mentioned a Vatican priest that was rescuing allied soldiers and Jews. I did not follow up and check to see it he was a fictional character or not.

The book is a biography of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty (1898-1963). He was an Irish Roman Catholic priest and senior official of the Roman Caria in Rome and a significant figure in Catholic resistance to Nazism. During WWII, he was responsible for saving 6500 allied soldiers and Jews from the Nazi.

Fleming covers his early life but details most excitedly the cat and mouse game between O’Flaherty and the Gestapo and Sicherheitsdienst. He evaded the Gestapo traps so successfully they called him “The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican.”
Ireland was a neutral country during WWII and had the only English speaking Embassy in Rome. The wife of the Ambassador, Delia Murphy, was a key helper of O’Flaherty’s at great risk to herself and the Embassy.

Apparently they made a T.V. movie of this story starring Gregory Peck in 1983, titled “The Scarlet and the Black”. I shall have to check Amazon and see if they have it; I think I would like to watch it after reading this exciting book.

I read this as an e-book download from Amazon using the Kindle app on my iPad. It came as a whispersync to the audio format with Brian Troxell narrating it. The e-book is 224 pages and the release date is 2012.

Excellent account of a hero

After listening to/reading Lisa Scottoline’s book, Eternity and listening to The Q&A with her at the end, she mentions this was one of her sources to write her book. I recommend reading both.

Very touching story, not at all what expected

I had expected more novel-like narration, but I did not expect the level of research and citation. This book is wonderfully well written and a beautiful piece of history from an ugly time.

What a character

This is quite the interesting and delightful biography. If this is an accurate portrait for the man, then Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty would be one of the most Christian men of his generation and many others. This biography is built primarily from sources other than the Monsignor himself who only gave one interview concerning his risky activities during World War II. There are other books concerning the escape organization from Italy during the War, written by the participants, but none by the Monsignor. It appears that those that worked with him in the organization held him in great reverence. It's also clear that despite temptation that he lived mostly other than his love of golf, which he was apparently quite good at. The book is very concise but draws a full picture of the man. I can see why he was honored by so many nations for his work.