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Also by John Thavis:

The Vatican Diaries, March 2013
Hardcover / e-Book

THE VATICAN DIARIES
By: John Thavis

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Power, Personalities and Politics at the Heart of the Catholic Church

Viking
March 2013
On Sale: February 21, 2013
336 pages
ISBN: 0670026719
EAN: 9780670026715
Kindle: B008EKOJZK
Hardcover / e-Book
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Non-Fiction

A revealing, timely look at the reign of Pope Benedict, the conclave, the papal election process by the cardinals, and the history of one of the world’s oldest and most mysterious institutions

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, behind-the-scenes perspective on an institution that is far less monolithic and unified than it first 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 readers from a bell tower high above St. Peter’s to the depths of the basilica and the saint’s burial place, from the politicking surrounding the election of a new pope and the ever-growing sexual abuse scandals around the world to controversies about the Vatican’s stand on contraception, and more.

Perceptive, sharply written, and witty, The Vatican Diaries will appeal not only to Catholics (lapsed as well as devout) but to any readers interested in international diplomacy and the role of religion in an increasingly secularized world.

Media Buzz

Weekend Edition Saturday - March 9, 2013
Good Morning America - February 28, 2013