American Savior: A Novel of Divine Politics

by Roland Merullo

Book Overview

What if Jesus suddenly appeared and announced that he planned to run for President of the United States? Yes, that Jesus. And what if a well-meaning but utterly inexperienced band of disciples not... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1565126076
• ISBN13: 9781565126077
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

An absorbing and thought provoking allegory

I read this through sheer curiosity with no expectation. Honestly, I figured it to be a very fast read and at least bordering on blasphemy. Instead, I found myself completely involved, rereading some sections, and after finishing it, skimming it to find all references to one particular character. The story is told through the eyes of a TV reporter in Massachusetts covering a couple of stories about a supposed miracle worker who restores one child to life and completely heals another terminally ill child. and eventually finds himself in charge of security for a man claiming to be Jesus Christ who is running for U.S. president on t third party ticket.The story is highly allegorical. It's a very off beat examination of religion and politics. I give it a five star reading for its interest value, for its depth, and for skilled story telling. The story is filled with well developed characterizations including the sceptical arrator, his brother afflicted with Down's Syndrome, the TV station manager, and the main character. Traditional Fundamentalist Christians won't likely want to read this. However, I do recommend it to more liberal Christians. I also would expect agnostics and atheists to find it challenging and worthwhile reading. It's definitely a good read during this political season. b

Could not put it down!

This book was so well written, so intriguing and so well plotted, I could not put it down until I was done! What if Jesus came back to earth, not as a fisherman, but as a politician running for President? What would his platforms be, what party would he run with (or against) or would he do as in the book and start his own party? (The Divine Party). All in all, this was an excellent book, and a great behind the scenes of politics.

Intriguing Read--Fun, Delightful And As "Deep" as You Want It To Be...

Read as a novel, it's a quick, easy and witty...lots of smiles and some outright laughs. Jesus returns to earth and to affect rapid change decides to run for President of the United States. This is the story of how he is viewed and received by "Christians," both left and right, good and bad, by non-Christians (Jews, Muslims, atheists, agnostics, etc.)and most especially by the news media . Lots of good natured and well earned jabs at recognizable members of the media. Lots of fun. But for those who want more, something deeper, it's here, too. On page 62, "the new" Jesus explains the age-old question of why he can't or doesn't just step right in, change things, and "make things right:" "What you might not undestand is that the rules of this planet are fixed. Just as water freezes at thirty-two degrees Farenheit, for example, or earth makes its rotation in approximately 24 hours, there are certain spiritual laws here, set in place even before the physical creation of the sphere that houses and nourishes you... "To a certain extent, I can bend those laws whenever I want to--to perform a miracle, for example. But if I eleminate them altogether for my own purposes, then everything is upended and my taking human form is purposeless. I have to operate within the confines of your understanding, your thought system, even, for the most part, your physical limitations..." That's deep "stuff" and good stuff. This book is intriguing, delightful and, most of all, fun. There's something for everyone here, and only the most radical of radicals will be offended. For a good time, read this book.

"You wouldn't know God if he ironed your underwear"

"You wouldn't know God if he came down and ironed your underwear", says Russell's mother to his father. That one statement made all the sense in the world to me. How many of us think we know or would know Jesus or know people who have a "personal connection" to Jesus when in reality none of us would accept anyone as "savior" without DNA testing. Even then I doubt most of us would believe. This book is funny, but more importantly it does make us question what we know or think we believe in. I thouroughly enjoyed every character in this book. Each character had a unique personality that was easily relatable to people we are all familiar with. The plot takes place in what I think may be my home town area. The references to Pownal, VT. are a stones throw from my home which made this book even more enjoyable for me to read. I don't want to give any information about the people, places or events that may spoil the story so I will just state that the book was a quiet, easy read with more depth than one read allows. Read it again and again to really feel the depth of this book.

You'll love it

This book is uproariously funny at times and always easy to read. Merullo's prose is as mellifluous as always. This is a great book which will take you right into an election similar in many ways to the one we are suffering through now; not that the candidates are the same but the shallowness of the process is. Couched in this seeming romp is a plethora of serious ideas which should be foremost in our everyday lives. You'll know them when you see them: not didactic, simply there and shining through the surrounding gloom as beacons for us to see and hopefully to do something about. You'll get a kick and a real lift out of this very fine work.