{"product_id":"when-in-rome-paperback-2","title":"When in Rome: A Journal of Life in Vatican City - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRobert J. Hutchinson\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLighthearted and altogether fascinating, \u003ci\u003eWhen in Rome\u003c\/i\u003e is a delightful backstairs tour of one of the world's most mysterious and eccentric cities. With his wife and three young sons, Robert Hutchinson moved to Rome shortly before his thirty-ninth birthday, intending to explore the Vatican in depth. He sought to capture \"the personality of the place: the smells and the traffic, the rich delicacies of Roman food, the perils of the Italian language, the way Italian monsignori push their way to the front of the line, just like their lay countrymen.\" \u003ci\u003eWhen in Rome\u003c\/i\u003e is the extraordinary journal of his Roman sojourn. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith playful good humor, Hutchinson introduces the varied and colorful individuals who live and work in the Vatican. In the process, he explores the mysterious orders of medieval knights, some dating back to the First Crusade, which still play a vital role in the Vatican; explains how bumbling Vatican archaeologists found, and then lost, the bones of St. Peter; probes the sex lives of the popes, from the \"pornocracy\" of Sergius III to the incestuous orgies of Rodrigo Borgia; experiences high fashion in the Holy See, including a visit to the pope's personal tailor; encounters the weird relics of Catholicism, such as the mummified body of St. Pius X and a museum made entirely out of human bones; recounts the true story behind the True Cross, now kept in a run-down church near the Colosseum; and much, much more. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eHumorous, irreverent, but ultimately respectful, \u003ci\u003eWhen in Rome\u003c\/i\u003e does for the Vatican what \u003ci\u003eA Year in Provence\u003c\/i\u003e did for the French countryside, in an unforgettable and unprecedented eyewitness account of one of the most fascinating places on Earth.\u003ch3\u003eFront Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLighthearted and altogether fascinating, \"When in Rome is a delightful backstairs tour of one of the world's most mysterious and eccentric cities. With his wife and three young sons, Robert Hutchinson moved to Rome shortly before his thirty-ninth birthday, intending to explore the Vatican in depth. He sought to capture \"the personality of the place: the smells and the traffic, the rich delicacies of Roman food, the perils of the Italian language, the way Italian monsignori push their way to the front of the line, just like their lay countrymen.\" \"When in Rome is the extraordinary journal of his Roman sojourn. \u003cbr\u003eWith playful good humor, Hutchinson introduces the varied and colorful individuals who live and work in the Vatican. In the process, he explores the mysterious orders of medieval knights, some dating back to the First Crusade, which still play a vital role in the Vatican; explains how bumbling Vatican archaeologists found, and then lost, the bones of St. Peter; probes the sex lives of the popes, from the \"pornocracy\" of Sergius III to the incestuous orgies of Rodrigo Borgia; experiences high fashion in the Holy See, including a visit to the pope's personal tailor; encounters the weird relics of Catholicism, such as the mummified body of St. Pius X and a museum made entirely out of human bones; recounts the true story behind the True Cross, now kept in a run-down church near the Colosseum; and much, much more. \u003cbr\u003eHumorous, irreverent, but ultimately respectful, \"When in Rome does for the Vatican what \"A Year in Provence did for the French countryside, in an unforgettable and unprecedented eyewitness account of one of the most fascinating places on Earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBack Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen in Rome is a backstairs tour of one of the world's most mysterious and eccentric cities. Hutchinson introduces the varied and colorful individuals who live and work in the Vatican. In the process, he explores the mysterious orders of medieval knights, some dating back to the First Crusade, which still play a vital role in the Vatican; explains how bumbling Vatican archaeologists found, and then lost, the bones of St. Peter; probes the sex lives of the popes, from the \"pornocracy\" of Sergius III to the incestuous orgies of Rodrigo Borgia; experiences high fashion in the Holy See, including a visit to the pope's personal tailor; encounters the weird relics of Catholicism, such as the mummified body of St. Pius X and a museum made entirely out of human bones; recounts the true story behind the True Cross, now kept in a run-down church near the Colosseum; and much, much more.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRobert J. Hutchinson studied philosophy as an undergraduate, moved to Israel to learn Hebrew, and earned a graduate degree in theology and New Testament studies. He has written six books of popular history and travel. He lives with his wife and children in a small seaside town on the west coast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n        \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 304\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.88 x 8.23 x 5.68 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e June 15, 1998\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42134087630983,"sku":"9780385486477","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/f8ca503d8b6c3ff41ebcd4fdea5d1767.webp?v=1732639078","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/when-in-rome-paperback-2","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}