The Vatican diaries a behind-the-scenes look at the power, personalities, and politics at the heart of the Catholic Church
(Playaway)

"HDAUDIO."

Issued on Playaway, a dedicated audio media player.

1 AAA battery and head phones required for use, but not supplied by library.

Read by Malcolm Hillgartner.

For more than twenty-five years John Thavis held one of the most fascinating journalistic jobs in the world: reporting on the inner workings of the Vatican. His daily exposure to the power, politics, and personalities in the seat of Roman Catholicism gave him a unique perspective on an institution that is far less monolithic and unified than it appears. Thavis reveals Vatican City as a place where Curia cardinals fight private wars, scandals threaten to undermine papal authority, and reverence for the past is continually upended by the practical considerations of modern life. Thavis takes listeners from a bell tower high above St. Peter's to the depths of the basilica, from the politicking surrounding the election of a new pope and the endless sexual abuse scandals to controversies about the Vatican's stand on contraception and more.