Pope Leo XIII (r. 1878-1903) was undoubtedly one of the most important Roman pontiffs of the 19th century, indeed one of the most consequential popes of modern times. Whether navigating the Church through the critical years after the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy or nurturing the newly restored Catholic hierarchy in England, from pioneering the Church's social doctrine to overseeing the most explosive period of the Church's growth in the United States, Pope Leo XIII proved himself a leader of remarkable energy and unparalleled vision. Richard H. Clark's The Life of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII begins with Leo's origins as Joachim Pecci, a child of the Roman nobility in Napoleonic Italy, and follows his career upward and onward: from a gifted Latinist at the Collegium Romanum, to the Archbishop of Perugia, and finally to the Chair of St. Peter. Clark's biography is comprehensive, covering all aspects of Leo's life and pontificate: his character, writings, diplomatic work, faith, and personal life are all explored in lucid detail, making Richard Clark's The Life of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII is the definitive English-language biography of the great turn-of-the-century pontiff.