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

I found this book faciniating. It is a report of the inner workings of the Vatican including the homesexual, child abuse, and financial problems the Church faces. The author neither praises nor condems the actions taking place in the hierarchy of the Vatican. The book is rich in the histrory of the Catholic Church and of recent popes. I learned a lot.

I appreciated that the author did not appear to have an "agenda" regarding the Vatican. The tone was neutral. I would recommend this book highly.

Well done.

This behind-the-scene's view of the Vatican is at times at times tedious, and at times intriguiging. Overall it is informative and very interesting. The portraits of the last two popes is most insightful.For those following the the conclave it is well worth listening to.

I haven't read the print version - that's why I listen to Audiobooks - to listen to books I don't have time to read. . . "too many books/too little time!"

Not Applicable

Not that I recall - but I will add him to my list of good narrators.

Not Applicable

After listening to the first few minutes of this book I was a little concerned with both the narration and the story, which I feared was going to be dull and monotone.But within 5 or 10 minutes I was really surprised. It quickly turned into an unbelievably entertaining listen - containing a perfect blend of drama and humour - and it was very well read. For someone who doesn't know much about the Roman Catholic church, the Pope or the Vatican, but keeps tabs on the news, it was just a very interesting and entertaining look at the workings and stories that make the Vatican so interesting to people in no way affiliated with the Catholic church; and it was done so in an educated-reality-TV-cum-PBS-documentary sort of a way. Finally, to me the narrator, can make or break an audiobook; and in this instance he really contributed to an entertaining listen.

One of the most concise, cogent audiobooks I've listened to.

Highlighted as it was by Audible, just after the news of Pope Benedict's abdication, this was especially relevant. Although published months before the Pope's announcement, "The Vatican Diaries" sheds much light on the Benedict's papacy and the likely true reasons behind his historical resignation. Had I listened to this earlier, it wouldn't have come as a surprise when it happened.

The stories John Thavis relates are sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, always incredible. Time and again I found myself hitting the 30 seconds back button thinking, "I must not have heard that right - it couldn't be." Every time I had heard it right and I was simply incredulous.

Malcolm Hilgartner's performance is a masterpiece of subtly. With slight inflections and just the right amount of accent, he slips smoothly between the author's narration and the many other characters we encounter - from Popes and Cardinals to reporters and "bell ringers." He makes this book come alive.

As a Roman Catholic at times I was upset by Thavis's frank and honest recording of events. Bust as they say,"Sometimes the truth hurts."

This is "must listening" for Roman Catholics and others who want to understand the forces at work inside that Vatican and the Church. It provides a foundation for understanding what Pope Francis is now doing and why. As events unfold in Rome I am sure I will be re-listening to various chapters to put it all in context.

Malcolm has truly captured my attention, the book is well narrated, he brings to life the chronicles that John Thavis writes about and as a born Catholic it is an eye opener to the one Pope that I truly admired, but it also brings home that those who govern our religion are truly only men and with that comes their strengths and faults.

I found the content quite interesting, especially considering I was listening to it simultaneously while the new Pope was chosen. Perhaps a Catholic would have a much more relevant review, but I did find the minute details tedious at times. Overall I found the book enlightening, but not surprising, that this 'holy' group of men would be as salacious, politically-motivated, and game-playing as any other group. Men are men.

yes, especially the die-hard Catholics

no

not be Catholic, and to educate others

This is not a book that extols the virtues of Catholicism or the wonderful works of Catholic charitable organizations. It focuses on how the Vatican operated during the papacies of John Paul II and Benedict XVI from a reporters point of view. In that light, it is an interesting and very timely read for anyone who is interested in the behind the scenes workings of the Vatican. The author presents a balanced point of view and projects thoughtfulness as well as critical analysis of a number of high profile issues that have cast doubt and suspicion upon the Catholic Church in recent years. While he doesn't delve into every recent high profile scandal, he does report on some that are well known and others that are not so well known. Definitely worth the time if you're fascinated by church politics. The timing of the release of this book, just as Benedict announced his retirement and before the election of Francis, made it a most timely read.

I wish we had been taught the truth in porocial school so that when we started in public school we could have had better information to defend our beliefs. Time for God to do some house cleaning.

Yes and did several times!

Just proves that on Earth ALL are human. You have to get to the debth of the church to find the good and the way Jesus meant His word to be told and used.

This audio book is like listening to National Enquirer level journalism, filled with opinions, presumption, and gossip. I expected to hear some credible new ‘vatileaks’ info presented in a rational manner, but instead received old information combined with gossip and secular opinions. If you listen to this book, you’d constantly notice how journalist John Thavin stretches bits of information, leaves out pertinent facts, and attempts to misrepresent the Church.

For example, Thavin portrays the Catholic Church as a system of injustice and sexual crimes by using the sins of a handful of bad priests, gossip, and various opinions to lead the reader into thinking that the majority of priests must be gay or sexual predators. But in his book, he downplays the 2008 US government report that only 0.03% of priests were involved in pedophilia cases, he downplays the fact that gay priests can no longer be ordained, he does not mention the German criminologist report that 99.9% of sexual abuse crimes come from outside the Catholic Church, and he does not mention the Protestant Christian Science Monitor report that protestant denominations are affected by a much higher rate of pedophilia cases than those in the Catholic Church.

Anyway, the Catholic Church is looking really good as we make the necessary changes to prevent those individual incidents from happening again.. If you go to the Vatican you will see all that the Catholic Church is actively doing to prevent future incidents, and help victims (none of which are discussed in the book). In other words, if you are looking for facts and a well balanced constructive analysis you'd be better off doing a Google search… Have faith!

Enjoy the jaunt through Vatican City. Clearly Thavis is a friend of the Church, but isn't afraid to show some of the less than admirable underbelly of the Vatican