I think these two books are good. They are sisters. About the life of Pope Pius IX and the revolution in Italy which lead to the downfall of the Papal States. You were ruled by the Leopards and the Lions but now you are ruled by the Jackals and the Hyenas. Good books for our times of the Jackals and Hyenas.
The two books are Cross Upon Cross by Francis B Thornton and The Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa.
The Leopard was made into a famous film.