The first biography to focus on Pope John Paul II's controversial reactions to recent crises in the Church and the global arena. In a bold and highly original work, The Pope in Winter brings John Paul's complex character into sharp focus. A veteran observer of the Vatican, Cornwell combines eyewitness reporting with impeccable sources. Respectful of John Paul's prodigious spirit and battles for human rights, Cornwell raises questions about a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to age and illness. The result is a striking portrait of John Paul in the winter of his life and an incisive assessment of his legacy.