Going against the Grain: Writers Taking Risks - Essay Example

? Going Against the Grain: Taking Risks Going Against the Grain: Taking Risks Summary One controversial literary work in the form of a book was written by David Yallop entitled “In God’s Name: An Investigation Into the Murder of Pope John Paul I” and thereby falls into the category of writers taking risks. In the book, Yallop aimed to disclose results of supposed extensive investigation on the actual cause of death of Albino Luciani, better known to the world as Pope John Paul I, who reigned as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, reportedly for only 33 days (Yallop, 2007). According to Yallop, although the official cause of sudden death was disclosed by the Vatican as heart attack, he allegedly uncovered information that revealed otherwise. Apparently, it was theorized that the pope was allegedly poisoned for reasons that range from uncovering anomalies in running and operating the Vatican Bank; as well as in his bold planned to end strict prohibition in the use of artificial birth control, one of the firm Catholic dogmas conservatively retained through the years. The book comprised of seven chapters where the first six were presented to provide an effective overview of Albino Luciani’s background, the kind of man he truly is, and the alleged facts surrounding operating the Vatican Bank (Yallop, 2007). Chapter 5 was devoted to the pope’s 33 days as Pontiff and leading to the fateful night when he was allegedly poisoned. Yallop specifically inferred that six men (Marcincus, Villot, Calvi, Sindona, and Gelli) connived to orchestrate the pope’s death, to wit: “I am equally convinced that one of these six men had, by the early evening of September 28th, 1978, already initiated a course of action to resolve the problems that Albino Luciani’s Papacy was posing. One of these men was at the very heart of a conspiracy that applied a uniquely Italian solution” (Yallop, 2007, p. xxiv). Analysis and Critique In the preface, Yallop asserted that it took him three years to intensively research and investigate the details surrounding Pope John Paul I’s death given the difficulties and challenges faced. As such, the writer evidently took significant risks in terms of writing controversial contents against the Vatican, an established Catholic organization that one supposedly never questions or asserts one’s contentions to. The contents were highly sensitive leaning towards suggesting the possibility of murder, connivance, and cover-ups within the strict confines of the Pope’s chamber – surely one of the most guarded global institutions given the authority and power relegated to the position occupying it. Likewise, the risks included tarnishing the writer’s reputation in case that his allegations were effectively proven wrong; as well as the reputation of the Vatican, the Catholic organization which Yallop alleged was filled with anomalous transactions and shielded from public scrutiny. Apparently, the effect of the risk taking endeavor by Yallop yielded beneficial and rewarding results for him in terms of generating as much as 6,000,000 copies sold of the book (Yallop, 2007). Despite the optimistic side of his risk-taking pursuit, he was criticized for the veracity, credibility and reliability in the contents of his writing. According to an article published in The Telegraph, Damian Thomson’s review of Yallop’s writing indicated that “Rome dismissed his book as trash… Then along came John Cornwell, an 'independent' author unsympathetic to the Vatican, who checked out Yallop's case. It crumbled into dust like an ancient parchment exposed to sunlight. The 'murder' of John Paul turned out to be just another conspiracy theory, glued together with innuendo and non sequiturs. Cornwell's book A Thief in the Night, which demonstrated that John Paul I had died of natural causes, left Yallop's theory looking jolly silly” (Thompson, 2007, pars. 1 & 2). In the most current article referring to the official statement on the cause of Pope John Paul I’s death, Agence France-Presse (2012) revealed that “Pope John Paul I, who reigned for just 33 days in 1978 before dying of a heart attack, was definitely not poisoned, the prelate advocating a sainthood for the late pontiff said on Tuesday. Monsignor Enrico dal Covolo said in an interview with the TGCOM blog that the documents and 167 testimonies he had collected for a report to be submitted to the Vatican on Wednesday dismissed “any suspicion of a murder” of the pope” (Agence France-Presse, 2012, pars. 1 & 2). With these statements and facts that document factual events and support to rebut the allegations of poisoning, the Yallop’s contentions were therefore eventually proven bogus and mere unsubstantiated statements. Inevitably, since the rebuttal and supporting documents took 35 years to collect and to be published, more than the 33 days reign of Pope John Paul I as Supreme Pontiff and the three years intensified investigation and research delved into by Yallop, the years of silence and lack of definitive closure and confirmation from Rome had proved to be favorable on Yallop’s side. Response Upon personal contention and reflection of the literary work, one could deduce that Yallop took a formidable risk by revealing results of supposed intensive research asserting that a man of significant popularity in the Catholic faith as their Supreme Pontiff was allegedly murdered. There were names that were explicitly mentioned, whose images and credibility were likewise questioned. However, since it took more than 35 years for Rome to finally officially send a rebuttal through equally intensive documentation and support, the years of silence could be construed by the public who read the book as rationally possible. The proof of inciting appeal from readers worldwide was the 6 million copies of the book that were sold and read. In this regard, the writer took the risk that actually paid off. To date, Yallop has written more than 10 bestselling books, of which another book entitled The Power and The Glory peered into the life of another pope, Pope John Paul II (Yallop, Books, 2007). The risk taking efforts could actually be interpreted as effective marketing strategies that would ensure success in terms of enticing audience appeal and the increased ability to generate highest grossing sales that would boost the image of the writer and classify him as one of the most prolific risk taking writers of contemporary times. References Agence France-Presse. (2012, October 16). Prelate: Pope John Paul I was definitely not poisoned in 1978. Retrieved from The Raw Story: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/16/prelate-pope-john-paul-i-was-definitely-not-poisoned-in-1978/ Thompson, D. (2007, May 17). An outbreak of anti-popery. Retrieved from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3665202/An-outbreak-of-anti-popery.html Yallop, D. (2007). Books. Retrieved from David Yallop: http://www.yallop.com/books.aspx Yallop, D. (2007). In God's Name: An Investigation into the Murder of Pope John Paul I. Carroll & Graf Publishers. Read More