God's Jury

God's Jury:  The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World (2012) by Cullen Murphy. The book's range is wide. It turns out there was a Roman Inquisition in ancient times, and a Medieval Inquisition, and a Spanish Inquisition, and actually too many inquisitions under other names to count. Its offices even extended into the present century. God's Jury encompasses the diverse stories of the Knights Templar, Torquemada, Galileo, and Graham Greene. Established by the Catholic Church in 1231 A.D. the Inquisition continued in one form or another for 700 years. The Inquisition pioneered surveillance and censorship and "scientific" interrogation. In this well written, fascinating book, Murphy traces the Inquisition and its legacy in modern times. Grade: B+