The Gospel According to Sam: Animal Stories for the Soul

By William Miller

Book Overview

The Gospel According to Sam is a collection of thirty "animal stories for the soul," written by William Miller, a priest who's considered to be one of the best preachers in the Episcopal Church. The "Sam" in the title is Miller's Airedale, a lovable, "wounded healer" of a dog who survived a house fire that burned off his ears but couldn't extinguish his spirit. Sam becomes a vehicle for healing, humor, adventure, spiritual growth, and prayer for Miller and his parishioners. Sam isn't a typical warm-fuzzy, feel-good animal stories book, however. Miller writes with an earthy sense of humor and a Southern voice that has the reader laughing out loud--think of Molly Ivins, but with the voice of faith and prayer added in for good measure, and a low tolerance for sickly sweet theology. But then he slips in the zinger that cuts through the laughter and goes for the soul. His meditations aren't limited to Sam or even just dogs; birds, pigs, squirrels, rabbits, fish, bugs, and even yaks feature in his stories. An honest awareness and appreciation of the depth and breath of life are hallmarks of these real life adventures and thought provoking reflections.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596270179
• ISBN13: 9781596270176
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: SEABURY BOOKS
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 0.8" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

If you know dogs are a way to God...

...this is the book for you. Funny, earthy, wise, gripping, sad. If you love dogs and know they have souls, this is your book. If you love piety and think churches are holy places, you will find other books better suited to your taste. This is for those who search for God, and those who love and learn from, and also grieve for, pets loved and lost.

The Gosel According to sam:

A wonderful story and I laughed and cried as I read this. Bill Miller puts his heart and soul into sharing his experiences about Sam with us.

Excellent!

The Gospel According to Sam is a wonderful collection of true stories of one man's journey, his dog Sam and their sometimes impetuous adventures. Each story will warm your heart and make you laugh out loud. I loved it so much, I am giving several copies this holiday season to a variety of people (Episcopal, Catholic, Jewish and a couple that doesn't go to chuch). The Gospel According to Sam is a book that anyone can enjoy and appreciate!

Let's hear if for the Pooch!

Observant author, smart dog, great book! Every once and a while one is graced with a conversation that opens the eyes and heart to the goodness in the world around us. Not sentimental, this is a slick read. It will keep you on your toes, it will keep you smiling, it will call you back to the bookstore to buy a copy for someone about whom you care.

FRESH, WITTY, BOLD EXCELLENT BOOK!!!

Wow! This is an amazing book, and an incredibly fresh voice in spiritual literature. To borrow from an Oldsmobile ad, Miller is not your father's preacher. And, to borrow from Miller himself, if you were to give this book to your father's preacher, he might just look at you as if you had offered him "a bong hit on behalf of a gay lover." Make no mistake about it, Miller is not shy in his delivery - he is raw, mildly perverted, flawed, and even outright crude at times - in other words, he is very human. What makes his stories so wonderful is that they rejoice in the ordinary, dirty, unpolished sides of us all, providing spiritual insight and beauty to the often uncelebrated areas of our earthly existence. This is all accomplished through individual stories all involving some kind of animal, not excluding Miller himself. His tales are nothing short of hysterical, and his timing for weaving the meaningful into the comedic is nothing short of impeccable. So, take your Sunday hat off, loosen the tie, grab a cold beer (or two), and read this book. If nothing more, you will be much cooler for it.