Cindy M. (purplesuperstar) - , reviewed The Messiah of Morris Avenue : A Novel on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
âThe Messiah of Morris Avenueâ is hands-down the best book of 2006. If you are familiar with Tony Hendra only as the editor of âNational Lampoonâ or as Ian Faith in âThis Is Spinal Tap,â then you are missing an entirely different side to this man.
Much like his nonfiction book, âFather Joe,â swept across America to numerous kudos and accolades, so should âMessiah.â With âMessiah,â Hendra has brought forth a novel of hope, faith, wit and insight.
As the story begins, it is the second decade of the second millennium. There is no longer a separation of church and state, and Christianity is the law of the land. Anything deemed to be vulgar or un-Christian-like is strictly prohibited, and in many cases is punishable by death.
Seasoned and jaded reporter, Johnny Greco, is subjected to a life of mundane ânews coverageâ that consists of covering the Academy Awards from Grauman's Christian Theater in Holywood, Calif., with Reverend James Sabbath, the spiritual adviser to the president of the United States, presiding over the ceremony. Greco yearns to be able to report a âreal story,â but the current government suppresses such information and punishes anyone who would do otherwise.
He has resigned himself to a meaningless life of fluff-pieces and pandering when he gets wind of a real news story: A young man in New Jersey has proclaimed himself to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. Greco is used to dealing with such crackpots who think they are the Lord, but something about this man makes Greco want to know more.
He begins an investigative piece that will lead him to discover the passion of faith, the joy of miracles and the inspiration a single man can bring to many. And in doing so, Hendra manages to instill these lasting emotions in his readers. âThe Messiah of Morris Avenueâ needs to be on the top of everyone's Must Read list.
Much like his nonfiction book, âFather Joe,â swept across America to numerous kudos and accolades, so should âMessiah.â With âMessiah,â Hendra has brought forth a novel of hope, faith, wit and insight.
As the story begins, it is the second decade of the second millennium. There is no longer a separation of church and state, and Christianity is the law of the land. Anything deemed to be vulgar or un-Christian-like is strictly prohibited, and in many cases is punishable by death.
Seasoned and jaded reporter, Johnny Greco, is subjected to a life of mundane ânews coverageâ that consists of covering the Academy Awards from Grauman's Christian Theater in Holywood, Calif., with Reverend James Sabbath, the spiritual adviser to the president of the United States, presiding over the ceremony. Greco yearns to be able to report a âreal story,â but the current government suppresses such information and punishes anyone who would do otherwise.
He has resigned himself to a meaningless life of fluff-pieces and pandering when he gets wind of a real news story: A young man in New Jersey has proclaimed himself to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. Greco is used to dealing with such crackpots who think they are the Lord, but something about this man makes Greco want to know more.
He begins an investigative piece that will lead him to discover the passion of faith, the joy of miracles and the inspiration a single man can bring to many. And in doing so, Hendra manages to instill these lasting emotions in his readers. âThe Messiah of Morris Avenueâ needs to be on the top of everyone's Must Read list.
