
In the Closet of the Vatican
Power, Homosexuality, Hypocrisy; THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
By: Frederic Martel, Shaun Whiteside (Translator)
Paperback | 14 January 2019
At a Glance
Paperback
$35.40
Aims to ship in 15 to 25 business days
When will this arrive by?
Enter delivery postcode to estimate
In the Closet of the Vatican exposes the rot at the heart of the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church today. This brilliant piece of investigative writing is based on four years' authoritative research, including extensive interviews with those in power.
The celibacy of priests, the condemnation of the use of contraceptives, the cover up of countless cases of sexual abuse, the resignation of Benedict XVI, misogyny among the clergy, the dramatic fall in Europe of the number of vocations to the priesthood, the plotting against Pope Francis – all these issues are clouded in mystery and secrecy.
In the Closet of the Vatican is a book that reveals these secrets and penetrates this enigma. It derives from a system founded on a clerical culture of secrecy which starts in junior seminaries and continues right up to the Vatican itself. It is based on the double lives of priests and on extreme homophobia. The resulting schizophrenia in the Church is hard to fathom. But the more a prelate is homophobic, the more likely it is that he is himself gay.
'Behind rigidity there is always something hidden, in many cases a double life'. These are the words of Pope Francis himself and with them the Pope has unlocked the Closet.
No one can claim to really understand the Catholic Church today until they have read this book. It reveals a truth that is extraordinary and disturbing.
About the Author
Frédéric Martel is a French researcher and writer. He is the author of ten books, including In the Closet of the Vatican, which was a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into 20 languages. The book was a number one bestseller in France for eight weeks and became a bestseller in 15 other countries. As a journalist, Martel also hosts a weekly radio show on media and culture for French National Public Radio. He lives in Paris.
Industry Reviews
A truly shocking theory about the Vatican; the largest gay community in the world * Il Giornale [Italy] *
I urge every Catholic to read it, however difficult that may be [...] The book did not surprise me, as such, but it still stunned, shocked, and disgusted me. You simply cannot unread it, or banish what is quite obviously true from your mind [...] This may seem like hyperbole, but in my view, the last drops of moral authority the Vatican might hope to have evaporate with this book. * Andrew Sullivan, New York Magazine *
Probably one of the best books by a journalist ever written * Gazeta Wyborcza [Poland] *
Martel's conversational style is that of the raconteur [...] he tells a captivating story * Catholic Herald *
Stunned may be a much-overused word, but it's the best one I know to describe my wonderment at the dimensions of what has come into view [...] All this builds up to the realisation that you are seeing something which, once seen cannot be unseen. By anyone who has seen it. Once it is seen, it is known as a fact about the Church's institutional working that cannot be got around. To pretend otherwise is a sign of delusion. * James Alison, ABC.net.au *
A glimpse of the poisonous world that Frederic Martel, himself gay, has spent five years researching for this book * Andrew Brown, Guardian *
An important revelation * Daily Telegraph *
Sensational ... this is much, much more than an expose of some taffeta-clad hypocrites...fascinating * Sunday Times *
Explosive ... Pope Francis seems to be ... determined to reform the Vatican ... If Martel's book proves anything, it is that this is now seriously overdue ... It would be a mistake to rubbish this book ... [Martel is] a highly intelligent and honest journalist and the Church will need courage to respond to his revelations fruitfully * The Tablet *
A remarkable feat of investigation ... Any friend of the Roman Catholic Church needs to take this book's message seriously * Diarmaid MacCulloch, The Times *
When God died, the official cause was elderly enfeeblement; after reading Frederic Martel's expose of infamy in the Catholic church, I suspect that the old boy committed suicide in remorse, aghast at the crimes and un-Christian sins of organised religion * Observer *
ISBN: 9781472966186
ISBN-10: 147296618X
Published: 14th January 2019
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Number of Pages: 592
Audience: General Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (AUS)
Country of Publication: GB
Dimensions (cm): 24.5 x 16.5 x 5.7
Weight (kg): 0.54
Shipping
Standard Shipping | Express Shipping | |
---|---|---|
Metro postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
Regional postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
Rural postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
How to return your order
At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.
Additional postage charges may be applicable.
Defective items
If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.
For more info please visit our Help Centre.
You Can Find This Book In
This product is categorised by
- Non-FictionReligion & BeliefsReligion
- Non-FictionReligion & BeliefsChristianityChristian Churches, Denominations, GroupsRoman Catholicism
- Non-FictionReligion & BeliefsChristianityChristian Life & PracticeChristian Aspects of Sexuality, Gender & Relationships
- Non-FictionSociety & CultureSocial GroupsGay & Lesbian Studies
- Non-FictionReligion & BeliefsAspects of Religion for Non-ChristiansReligious Institutions & OrganisationsReligious & Spiritual Leaders
- Non-FictionLiterature, Poetry & PlaysNon-Fiction ProseReportage & Collected Journalism
- Non-FictionReligion & BeliefsChristianityChristian Institutions & OrganisationsChristian Leaders & Leadership
- Non-FictionPolitics & GovernmentPolitical Corruption