{"product_id":"2940169863291","title":"The Vatican Diaries: A Behind-the-scenes Look at the Power, Personalities, and Politics at the Heart Ofthe Catholic Church","description":"\u003cp\u003eA revealing inside look at one of the world¿s most powerful and mysterious institutions\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor 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.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThavis takes listeners 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerceptive, sharply written, and witty, \u003ci\u003eThe Vatican Diaries\u003c\/i\u003e will appeal not only to Catholics¿lapsed as well as devout¿but to anyone interested in international diplomacy and the role of religion in an increasingly secularized world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blackstone Audio, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47116906397936,"sku":"2940169863291","price":22.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940169863291_p0.jpg?v=1769901912","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940169863291","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}