Lighthearted and altogether fascinating, When in Rome is a delightful backstairs tour of one of the world's most mysterious and eccentric ci...
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Jan 23, 2011
Friends of
rated it: 
This book was both hilarious and extremely interesting. I read it after a conversation with my husband’s Godfather, a Brother in the Roman Catholic Church who mentioned loving the Church in spite of its many, many flaws.
It is the story of an American journalist (a Vatican correspondent for 15 years) and "confused Catholic" who decides to spend a year in Rome researching the Vatican through "asking lots of dumb questions". For instance, who has to clean all those sta More...
It is the story of an American journalist (a Vatican correspondent for 15 years) and "confused Catholic" who decides to spend a year in Rome researching the Vatican through "asking lots of dumb questions". For instance, who has to clean all those sta More...
Sep 08, 2009
Drew
rated it:
This book was both hilarious and extremely interesting. I found it a few weeks ago at the library after my pastor mentioned it in a homily about loving the Church in spite of its many, many flaws.
An American journalist and "confused Catholic" decides to spend a year in Rome, researching the Vatican through "asking lots of dumb questions." For instance, who has to clean all those statues? Where do the curia go shopping for huge rosaries and funny-looking red h More...
An American journalist and "confused Catholic" decides to spend a year in Rome, researching the Vatican through "asking lots of dumb questions." For instance, who has to clean all those statues? Where do the curia go shopping for huge rosaries and funny-looking red h More...
Aug 03, 2011
Matthew
rated it: 
Despite the times that I did laugh or learn a particularly interesting tidbit of information during Hutchinson's travel log, I found the majority of the book to be extremely dry and boring.
Hutchinson smacks the reader in the face with street names and bus stops and a whole bunch of useless information to the general reader ... unless, I suppose, his general reader is someone who actually has been to Italy and the Vatican before.
If I wasn't transferring over my reviews from the other "Books" More...
Hutchinson smacks the reader in the face with street names and bus stops and a whole bunch of useless information to the general reader ... unless, I suppose, his general reader is someone who actually has been to Italy and the Vatican before.
If I wasn't transferring over my reviews from the other "Books" More...
Feb 08, 2011
Joanne
rated it: 
Let me quote someone else for a good review of this book: "When in Romne is a witty, delightfully disrespectful travelogue through the Vatican, done by a loyal Roman Catholic who has had his eyes opened long ago about goings on in the Church and still loves it. His loyalty, however, does not prevent him from ridiculing the ridiculous, poking fun at the pompous, aiming his laser at things long hidden in darkness, laying bare the secret, pricking the balloons of the inflated. I thoroughly
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Oct 18, 2010
Raina
rated it:
This book was both hilarious and extremely interesting. I read it after a conversation with my husband’s Godfather, a Brother in the Roman Catholic Church who mentioned loving the Church in spite of its many, many flaws.
It is the story of an American journalist (a Vatican correspondent for 15 years) and "confused Catholic" who decides to spend a year in Rome researching the Vatican through "asking lots of dumb questions". For instance, who has to clean all those sta More...
It is the story of an American journalist (a Vatican correspondent for 15 years) and "confused Catholic" who decides to spend a year in Rome researching the Vatican through "asking lots of dumb questions". For instance, who has to clean all those sta More...
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Jul 22, 2009
Ted
rated it: 
Read this after our trip to Rome and Italy in January of 1999. The author has written alot on the Vatican and this book is an insiders look at that institution.
Loved the author's detail about his experience living in Rome along with his wife (and baby?).
I think this is a good candidate to go on my re-read shelf.
Loved the author's detail about his experience living in Rome along with his wife (and baby?).
I think this is a good candidate to go on my re-read shelf.
Apr 14, 2010
Erin
rated it:
This book brought the history of The Vatican to life (especially the sex) and made going some places in Rome, particularly Castel Sant'Angelo, all the more interesting.
Feb 17, 2010
Michele
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A really great account of the author's experience living in Rome and working within the Vatican. This book is a lot of fun to read - It has a ton of interesting historical information that really put things into context on our recent trip. I'll probably read it again at some point now that I've seen a lot of the places mentioned. Highly recommended!
Dec 17, 2009
Irwan
rated it:
A very personal account on the author's staying in Rome and the Vatican. Light and funny reading. Gives an intimate feeling about the City, the Italian attitudes and behaviours towards foreigners or foreign cultures. Although not all of them are true according to my own experience.
I learned more about the the Vatican: their inner politics, behaviour, and its history. Not to mention, the bisexual Swedish queen whose convertion to Catholisms arose controversies.
I learned more about the the Vatican: their inner politics, behaviour, and its history. Not to mention, the bisexual Swedish queen whose convertion to Catholisms arose controversies.
Dec 16, 2009
Jordyne
rated it:
I read this to get in the mood for my visit to Rome and the Vatican. I was looking for an light, easy starter (but not too fluffy!) before tackling any dense historical treatises (which I never got around to anyway). It turned out to the perfect (and funny!) introduction to the Vatican, its rituals, and even pontifical fashion... all written in a witty, self-deprecating, and respectfully irreverent way.
Oct 23, 2008
James
rated it:
This book was a pleasant surprise. I was looking for some light reading to counterbalance the sci-fi I have been getting into, so I picked this up on a whim and it quickly became a favorite. Part travelogue, part history book and surprisingly humerus, you don't even realize you are getting a history lesson. Who know there were bisexual Popes? Now I do.
Feb 24, 2007
Elizabeth
rated it:
I adored this book. It’s a hilarious run-down of the papacy through the ages. The author was a Vatican correspondent for 15 years.
Jul 13, 2007
So far, so good -- a kind of Bill Bryson look at the history of the Vatican. Haven't had enough time to sort through it.
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