Into every string of serious books a little, well, a little low brow must fall. I admit I’m a sucker for all things Cussler...

At the end of last year, I found myself in Florence. There on the River Arno, on a little square and flanked by the St. Regis and Excelsior hotels, was an exquisite chapel long founded by a wealthy member of the Vespucci family.

This is a remarkable book. It goes behind the scenes to explore why James Stuart, upon rising to the British throne upon the death of Queen Elizabeth, made it a priority to prepare a new version of the Bible, one grounded in the earliest sources scholars could find but expressed in the richest and most passionate words possible.

Unger, a New York Times writer, has produced a thoughtful and well-informed study of the life of the Florentine diplomat and government bureaucrat better known for his slim book, The Prince, than for his diplomatic efforts for his beloved city-state, fading in power and influence.