Conclave: The Politics, Personalities, and Process of the Next Papal Election

Rating:
Summary: Hasty speculation? Nonetheless an intriguing subject.
Review: Though I bought it on the chance that there could be a papal election sometime soon, it wound up not making much of a diffrence in terms of the enjoyment I got out of reading this book. It is fun to speculate, I admit, and you can't help but wonder how your own views will be represented in the next papacy. So, I approached this book with questions about the likely future at the Vatican. After reading I do feel that I have a better grasp on what the future may bring, but moreso I have a much better understanding of the nature of the politics, mechanics, other earthly matters that affect the Vatican. It is made-up of people, after all, and I came away with an appreciation for the way it works as an organization. Through the author's eyes the Vatican seems a lot less byzantine (if you'll pardon my choice of words) than I had previously thought. Anyway, I recomend this book for anyone interested in current affairs, Church history.