A History of the Popes by Joseph McCabe. Narrated by Denis Daly.

Joseph McCabe's study of papal history is unusual in that he takes a hostile view of the Roman Catholic Church in general, and of the papacy in particular. Raised as a Catholic, McCabe was ordained as a Franciscan priest in 1890, but by 1897 had abandoned both the priesthood and the Catholic faith and was in the process of establishing himself as an ardent secularist. He published over 200 books, many of which were critiques of the history and contemporary activities of the Catholic Church. 

A History of the Popes is divided into four books: "The Age of Development (AD. 50-450)", "The Dark Age (AD. 450-1050)", "The Age of Power (AD. 1050-1550)", "The Age of Disintegration (AD. 1550-1939)". The history concludes during the reign of Pius XI, who today is hailed as a hero by conservative Catholics for his staunch opposition to modernism, but who has also been the target of strong criticism elsewhere for his accommodating stance toward Mussolini and Hitler. This book is the fascinating story of a unique autocracy which has survived the fall of many empires and which today still claims the allegiance of over one billion followers.