Book Review: Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron

Title: Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…of Sorts

Author: Ian Morgan Cron

Genre: Memoir, Christian Non Fiction

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers

Available: Now

My Rating: 4 stars

Cron shares the story of his life – from his troubled childhood to Episcopal priest.

I got the chance to read and review, Chasing Francis, (which I loved) so when this book came up on my list, I jumped on it. Memoirs are great reads. No one writes a memoir about what a storybook childhood or life that they have had. There is always some point of breakthrough or overcoming, or maybe even a place of breaking. This book has all of those things.

The book seems to be a loose collection of stories, pivotal moments – both good and bad – in the author’s life, and the people that helped him overcome. He starts with his childhood, showing us the broken boy that emerged with a father who was an alcoholic. Even though as a youth Cron felt very close to God, he seemed to be spun away by the many hardship of his life. Yet there was always someone to buoy him along and get him to the next wall to climb over.

The story is written in a wonderfully, amusing way. Cron uses humor to keep the reader from feeling sorry for him, and to help them believe in the hope of what is yet to come. He ultimately battles with many demons, and ones which many of us will find that we have faced. He conquers many things, and I cheered for him the entire time.

Recommend for: Christian memoir lovers.

Note: I was provided a copy of the book by the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: The Photographer’s Boy by Stephen Bates

Title: The Photographer’s Boy

Author:  Stephen Bates

Genre: Historical Fiction/Contemporary

Publisher: Premier

Available: July 22, 2013

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary: Gene and Izzie Hofsettler are an upscale NY couple who buy a rural home in Massachusetts after the 9/11, to get away from the madness from the city. While renovating the home to transform it to a Bed and Breakfast, they come across a trunk of old photographers plates from what appears to be the Civil War. The author then brings the reader back in time to the Civil War era and also the 1930s to discover who the photographer was in his youth and in his old age.  There are real stories of these characters buried in the action of the various time frames – stories of mistakes and heartaches, and yet of honor.

Review: This is a very different book for a lot of reasons.  It’s hard to decide who the main character is, as in the various pieces of the story, the main emphasis is not on the same character.  The pieces of the story fit together in an odd way.  The reader is pulled into a commentary on how our culture has shifted in the 150 years since the Civil War. In fact, in many ways, the Civil War has been marginalized and left to a group of reinactors, who (according to the story), may or may not represent it in a positive way. We see that the youth of today’s culture do not understand it at all.

The part that I most enjoyed was the story of how Albert came to be “The Photographer’s Boy”- and the details shared about Matthew Brady and his group of photographer’s assistants.  It discussed his famous gallery and portrait studio and the thinking behind the creation of these post battle shots. These men were the paparazzi of their day – following the army and waiting for the battle to end so they could record it. They were another kind of pioneer in the era as well.  There was no established code of conduct for this type of thing and they made it up as they went along.  The author uses actual Civil War photos from the era and weaves their creation into the story.

I enjoyed the book, but ultimately it is a sorrowful tale – talking of cultures past and the present that refuses to see it.  Although the contemporary storyline carries the plot, it is the detail of the past that will draw the reader into the action.   It’s a very timely book, coming around as we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Note:  I was provided a copy of the book by the publisher.  All opinions expressed are my own.