Conclave by Robert Harris Summary
Overview of Conclave
Inside the Vatican's secretive papal election, Harris's eerily prescient thriller predicted reality. Praised as his "best novel," this Silver Bestseller became a Ralph Fiennes film that won the USC Scripter Award. What shocking revelation awaits behind the white smoke?
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Key takeaways
The Sacred Theater of Power
Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, 118 cardinals gather for the most secretive election on earth. The Holy Father has died unexpectedly, and now Cardinal Jacopo Lomeli-a 75-year-old Italian prelate battling prostate cancer and a crisis of faith-must oversee the selection of the next Pope. The timing couldn't be worse. The Church faces mounting scandals, terrorist attacks are erupting across Europe, and Lomeli himself feels spiritually empty. "I feel nothing when I pray," he had confessed to the late Pope, who refused his resignation with a stinging assessment: "You are not a shepherd. You are a manager." Now this reluctant "manager" must navigate the treacherous waters of Vatican politics, where sacred rituals mask profane ambitions. The cardinals arrive already divided into factions-African prelates supporting Nigerian Cardinal Adeyemi, European liberals backing Italian Cardinal Bellini, and Vatican insiders promoting Canadian Cardinal Tremblay or conservative Italian Cardinal Tedesco. Behind the solemn prayers and ancient ceremonies lies a political battlefield as cutthroat as any secular election. What makes this conclave particularly dangerous is how the divisions reflect deeper questions about the Church's future. Should it retreat into tradition or embrace modernity? Should power remain concentrated in European hands or shift to the Global South where Catholicism is growing fastest? And most fundamentally-can an institution built by flawed humans maintain its divine mission?
The Burden of Tradition
Politics Behind the Altar
Faith Walks Hand in Hand with Doubt
Secrets and Revelations
The Global Church at a Crossroads
Divine Mystery in Human Form
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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