Thicker Than Water

In Praise of Nepotism: A Natural History, by Adam Bellow (Doubleday, 576 pp., $30)

THIS is an entertaining but serious book on a slippery subject. The Latin word nepos, usually translated “nephew,” can mean almost any younger male member of a family. In the 14th century, Romans coined the word nepotismo to describe the way relatives of the pope, often his illegitimate sons, scrambled into high places and got themselves cardinals’ hats. There are celebrated portraits of Julius II and Leo X, each with two “nephews” lurking shiftily in the background.

About the Author

Paul Johnson

Mr. Johnson is a prominent author and historian.

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In Praise of Nepotism: A Natural History, by Adam Bellow (Doubleday, 576 pp., $30)

THIS is an entertaining but serious book on a slippery subject. The Latin word nepos, usually translated “nephew,” can mean almost any younger male member of a family. In the 14th century, Romans coined the word nepotismo to describe the way relatives of the pope, often his illegitimate sons, scrambled into high places and got themselves cardinals’ hats. There are celebrated portraits of Julius II and Leo X, each with two “nephews” lurking shiftily in the background.