God's Banker: An Account of the Life and Death of Roberto Calvi by Rupert Cornwell SIGNED First Edition ~ Vatican banking scandal ~ P2

Title: God's Banker: An Account of the Life and Death of Roberto Calvi

Author: Rupert Cornwell

Description: Signed by Rupert Cornwell on front free endpaper. First UK Edition. Black cloth boards with gilt lettering on spine. Bit of wear to head of spine. Minor soiling to top edge of text block, pages are clean. Dust jacket shows edgewear; not price clipped; in an archival mylar sleeve. 260 pages.

A rare signed copy of this landmark study of the Italian banker Roberto Calvi, chairman of Banco Ambrosiano, documenting his shadowy and labyrinthine business dealings and his connections with the Vatican bank, the infamous P2 Masonic ''black friars'' lodge, the mafia, and an extensive cast of other characters.

British journalist Rupert Cornwell (1946-2017) was connected with The Independent newspaper for thirty years. He was the half-brother of the noted espionage novelist David Cornwell, aka John le Carre.

''Early on the morning of June 18, 1982, the body of Roberto Calvi, head of the most powerful banking group in private hands in Italy, was found hanging from London's Blackfriars Bridge. This macabre discovery precipitated the Banco Ambrosiano disaster, the biggest single collapse of a bank anywhere since the last war. The extraordinary story of Roberto Calvi epitomises the darker face of Italy, complete with financial and political intrigue, a sinister secret society, intimidation, blackmail and murder. The Ambrosiano collapse shook the international banking system. It helped expose years of reckless financial behaviour by the Vatican, calling into question the judgment of the Pope himself...''

Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Jacket Condition: VG-

Publisher: Victor Gollancz Ltd
Place: London
Year: 1983

ISBN: 0575033517

Keywords: scandals, Italy, Vatican, international banking, P2, Propaganda Due, Banco Ambrosiano, Licio Gelli, Archbishop Marcinkus, Michele Sindona, conspiracies,