The title of Jörg Ernesti's book is appropriate. Paul vi (Giovanni Baptista Montini) is arguably a ‘forgotten pope’, at least in historical scholarship. There has been no worthy successor to Peter Hebblethwaite's Paul VI: the first modern pope (1993) until Ernesti, who ponders his subject at a greater distance and with the lively temperament of an historian as distinct from the crisp and gripping flair of Hebblethwaite's journalism. Departing from the canons of critical scholarship, recent Italian monographs have sought to justify or even to canonise the pope. Ernesti might have considered another explanation for the pope's oblivion: the long and momentous pontificate of John Paul ii has attracted so much attention that it has overshadowed that of Paul vi. And yet, Paul vi in his travels beyond Italy and his adherence to traditional Catholic doctrine clearly anticipated his Polish successor. Differences too are evident, as can be inferred from Ernesti. John Paul ii was much more forthright in his response to challenges to Catholic orthodoxy and from Communism. Ernesti's focus is rightly on establishing and promoting an historical discourse of the Italian pontiff, not on a comparison between him and his renowned successor. He rejects the discourse of modernity as ‘too one-dimensional and undifferentiated to do real justice to the personality of Montini’ (p. 301). A more complex interpretation is in order, one that blends conservatism with modernity, although some might wish to dispute the apparent incompatibility of the two terms in Ernesti's analysis. Paul vi was conservative in his moral and dogmatic outlook but modern inasmuch as he favoured dialogue between the Church and the modern world and especially with modern art. Indeed, Ernesti's treatment of the pope's appreciation of modern art is a distinctive feature of his biography. The tension between conservatism and modernity is only one instance of the ‘ambivalence’ (p. 313) commonly attributed to Paul vi and upon which Ernesti elaborates. The ambivalence dissolves into a cautious approfondimento, with which the author persuasively contrasts the bold aggiornamento of John xiii. Interpretation undoubtedly influenced the structure of the book. Ernesti divides his biography into four unequal sections: a brief sketch of Montini's life before his election as pope, a survey of the early years of the pontificate (1963–5), a detailed analysis of the ‘post-conciliar crisis (1966–1970)’ and a review of the highlights of the final years (1971–8). The focus on the post-conciliar period has its advantages. It shows the pope in all his complexity: responding carefully to the various challenges of his day (e.g. liturgical reform, ecumenism, social and economic development, disputes over clerical celibacy and artificial contraception) without fully mastering them. Ernesti's obvious sympathy leaves room for criticism when he questions the wisdom of Paul vi's abrogation of the Tridentine liturgy or of his preference for moderation over steadfast opposition to Communist regimes in his Ostpolitik. The privileging of the post-conciliar period, however, has the effect of reducing to a minimum an analysis of the pope's role in the proceedings of Vatican II, especially in the controversy over episcopal collegiality. To be fair, Ernesti's objective is not to provide an exhaustive and definitive biography but to revive historical interest in a pope who ought to be remembered for his leadership of the Catholic Church in a maelstrom of change. The book certainly achieves this goal.