This is not an ordinary book about the Pope. it is not an historical record, nor is it an analyais of the theological work of Professor Ratzinger. It is, on the other hand, a warmhearted and affectionate account in which the author guides the reader around the places where the Pope was born and grew up, and where he matured as a priest and as a man. This is the story of a journey undertaken with camera and notebook in hand, into the land where Joseph Ratzinger would have spent the last years of his life had he not become Pope. It is a book full od profound reflections and genuine feeling. It also contains numerous accounts of meetings with people close to Benedict XVI who throw light on the less well-known aspects of his life and character. 

In this volume, Alessandra Borghese immerses herself in the ancient land of Bavaria, exploring its medows and forests, walking around its many old townsm and visiting its beautiful Barowue churches and famous Marian shrines. 

She thus comes to understand that the Pope's great stability and strength derive mainly from a love provided by family and friends and rooted in the culture of a land that is alive and informed with faith. What emerges is the portrait of a man who is proud of his identity and who was brought up with a profound sense of religion to which he bears witness every day and which enables him to open his heart to the world.