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hyattsarah's review
1.0
I've read the reviews for this book - they were what made me want to read it in the first place. I seriously don't see how I am reading the same book as all of these people, because the very things that everyone praises are the things that I think are worst about this book.
Nothing about this book is unique. It's an overgrown blog entry, another hipster Christian book trying to be edgy with pop culture references that will quickly become obsolete and disjointed childhood memories without an overarching theme. The writing doesn't flow well or draw the reader into the story - there have been a few moments that felt they could have really shone with some more editing and polishing, but they were scattered between hodge podge and disconnected anecdotes, written in such a jaded and "trying to be funny" tone that it was hard to appreciate them. Instead of describing events or feelings the author refers to movie titles in italics, and sets them out in very clear simile ("It was LIKE Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was LIKE Pineapple Express. It was LIKE Lord of the Flies.") After a while, it becomes jarring and repetitive. The stories are also interspersed with stream-of-consciousness rambling that adds nothing to the book. It isn't cute or quirky or ~random~, it's extremely distracting.
I would complain about this book being like a rip off of Donald Miller's endless literary catalog of daddy issues, except I really haven't felt so far that this book was even about the author's father. So far I've barely seen him - or, for that matter, seen Jesus or the CIA. I hear some things about the father, but he is one-dimensional and removed, not painfully removed as an absent father but just irrelevant and peripheral. The book centers more on a random assortment of the author's experiences, which may or may not be true, and uses other people as the backdrop for the author's mundane and cliche thoughts and experiences. The treatment of other characters is disheartening as well as the author seems to take on a really unflattering jaded tone at times.
I think my strong aversion to this book is born out of the fact that I really wanted to like it. I wanted it to be a memoir that charmed me, that drew me in and made my own life and experiences seem bigger as a result. [b:Girl Meets God: A Memoir|49188|Girl Meets God A Memoir|Lauren F. Winner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320399979s/49188.jpg|48118] did this beautifully, and I was entranced by [b:A Girl Named Zippy|15171|A Girl Named Zippy|Haven Kimmel|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166671570s/15171.jpg|17077] and [b:She Got Up Off the Couch: And Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana|15167|She Got Up Off the Couch And Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana|Haven Kimmel|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255882129s/15167.jpg|137846]. This book has none of their charm or light, but neither does it have any of the dark interest of truly horrific childhood memoirs ([b:A Stolen Life|11330361|A Stolen Life|Jaycee Dugard|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41--ziwwP4L._SL75_.jpg|16258764], anyone?) Very disappointing.
Nothing about this book is unique. It's an overgrown blog entry, another hipster Christian book trying to be edgy with pop culture references that will quickly become obsolete and disjointed childhood memories without an overarching theme. The writing doesn't flow well or draw the reader into the story - there have been a few moments that felt they could have really shone with some more editing and polishing, but they were scattered between hodge podge and disconnected anecdotes, written in such a jaded and "trying to be funny" tone that it was hard to appreciate them. Instead of describing events or feelings the author refers to movie titles in italics, and sets them out in very clear simile ("It was LIKE Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was LIKE Pineapple Express. It was LIKE Lord of the Flies.") After a while, it becomes jarring and repetitive. The stories are also interspersed with stream-of-consciousness rambling that adds nothing to the book. It isn't cute or quirky or ~random~, it's extremely distracting.
I would complain about this book being like a rip off of Donald Miller's endless literary catalog of daddy issues, except I really haven't felt so far that this book was even about the author's father. So far I've barely seen him - or, for that matter, seen Jesus or the CIA. I hear some things about the father, but he is one-dimensional and removed, not painfully removed as an absent father but just irrelevant and peripheral. The book centers more on a random assortment of the author's experiences, which may or may not be true, and uses other people as the backdrop for the author's mundane and cliche thoughts and experiences. The treatment of other characters is disheartening as well as the author seems to take on a really unflattering jaded tone at times.
I think my strong aversion to this book is born out of the fact that I really wanted to like it. I wanted it to be a memoir that charmed me, that drew me in and made my own life and experiences seem bigger as a result. [b:Girl Meets God: A Memoir|49188|Girl Meets God A Memoir|Lauren F. Winner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320399979s/49188.jpg|48118] did this beautifully, and I was entranced by [b:A Girl Named Zippy|15171|A Girl Named Zippy|Haven Kimmel|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166671570s/15171.jpg|17077] and [b:She Got Up Off the Couch: And Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana|15167|She Got Up Off the Couch And Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana|Haven Kimmel|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255882129s/15167.jpg|137846]. This book has none of their charm or light, but neither does it have any of the dark interest of truly horrific childhood memoirs ([b:A Stolen Life|11330361|A Stolen Life|Jaycee Dugard|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41--ziwwP4L._SL75_.jpg|16258764], anyone?) Very disappointing.
lmbartelt's review
5.0
I'm a new fan of Ian Cron's writing. Brilliant is all I can say. His latest novel was a page turner I couldn't get enough of which led me to his first book, a memoir (of sorts, as he calls it), Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from Thomas Nelson through the Booksneeze program in exchange for my review.)
First of all, how do you resist a title like that? It sounds like the setup to a great joke when in fact, it's major components of Cron's life as the son of an alcoholic who seemingly couldn't hold a job but was really working for the CIA. Cron chronicles his journey of faith from childhood through his own bout with alcoholism and beyond. Though he offers the disclaimer that he might not remember things exactly as they happened, the story still comes across as honest. Cron pulls no punches when he talks about his drinking or his spiritual life or what it's like to reconcile the father you thought you knew with the man others knew him to be, and to do it after he died.
Though painful to read at times, Cron's humor comes through, making the book a journey with ups and downs, just like real life.
I wouldn't call it a "feel good" book but you don't come away discouraged, either. Cron's story offers hope for those who struggle with absent or abusive fathers, addictions and doubt, among other things. His is an "I've been there, too" kind of story--the kind we need to hear more often from our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Add this one to your "to-read" pile. You won't be sorry you did.
First of all, how do you resist a title like that? It sounds like the setup to a great joke when in fact, it's major components of Cron's life as the son of an alcoholic who seemingly couldn't hold a job but was really working for the CIA. Cron chronicles his journey of faith from childhood through his own bout with alcoholism and beyond. Though he offers the disclaimer that he might not remember things exactly as they happened, the story still comes across as honest. Cron pulls no punches when he talks about his drinking or his spiritual life or what it's like to reconcile the father you thought you knew with the man others knew him to be, and to do it after he died.
Though painful to read at times, Cron's humor comes through, making the book a journey with ups and downs, just like real life.
I wouldn't call it a "feel good" book but you don't come away discouraged, either. Cron's story offers hope for those who struggle with absent or abusive fathers, addictions and doubt, among other things. His is an "I've been there, too" kind of story--the kind we need to hear more often from our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Add this one to your "to-read" pile. You won't be sorry you did.
patty_kansascity's review
3.0
Even though I rated this book with 3 out of 5 stars, I think it is a book worth reading. While chapters 1-8 were a little drawn out to me (I would rate those chapters with 2 stars), chapters 9-18 were great! If I was only rating chapters 9-18, I would have given this book 4 stars.
This book is a memoir, and is filled with stories about his upbringing -- some hilarious, some tragic. Other than being a little drawn out for my liking, my lower rating for the first half of the book is because I was expecting something entirely different than what it actually was. This book came recommended by a co-worker, and since we both work in law enforcement, I anticipated it to be a lot about spies and the author's life as a son of a CIA operative. It really wasn't so much about that. Still, I must say that the reasons chapters 9-18 were so great was because I was able to come to know the author through the more boring chapters of 1-8.
I don't emote often when reading a book, but in this one (in the latter chapters), boy howdy, I did -- and even in public places. There were times that I thought I would bawl, and other times that I would literally crack up out loud.
This book is a memoir, and is filled with stories about his upbringing -- some hilarious, some tragic. Other than being a little drawn out for my liking, my lower rating for the first half of the book is because I was expecting something entirely different than what it actually was. This book came recommended by a co-worker, and since we both work in law enforcement, I anticipated it to be a lot about spies and the author's life as a son of a CIA operative. It really wasn't so much about that. Still, I must say that the reasons chapters 9-18 were so great was because I was able to come to know the author through the more boring chapters of 1-8.
I don't emote often when reading a book, but in this one (in the latter chapters), boy howdy, I did -- and even in public places. There were times that I thought I would bawl, and other times that I would literally crack up out loud.
thepickygirl's review
2.0
Ah, memoirs. I absolutely have a love-hate relationships with you. Sometimes you are so smart and elucidate universal truths in life. Other times you allow a flow of emotion similar to the effects of watching a Greek tragedy. Yet other times you make me want to swat you, like an errant fly buzzing about the room.
It is also incredibly difficult to review a memoir because you are taking an intensely intimate work and critiquing it. I can imagine it would be difficult for an memoirist to separate critiques of the writing from the self (although arguably, this is always difficult).
So let me set it up for you: Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me is about Ian Cron's life with his alcoholic father...who also happened to work for the CIA for many years. It starts with Cron's father's job in movies in London and tracks the family through the highs and lows of his family and his father's problems. My issue with the book, and I admit up front that this is my own personal hangup, is that Cron talks a lot about not having any money after his father gets fired from his movie job in London. Except that in my book, having a nanny throughout your childhood ain't poor. Ordinarily I could overlook this, but Cron makes much of this in the first third of the book, and it felt incredibly insensitive to someone who grew up struggling.
For example, this passage drove me crazy:
As my father's drinking and depression augured downward, my mother was forced to go to work as a secretary in a publishing company - what was called a "girl Friday" - to pay the bills and keep food on our table. My mother grew up in a wealthy and highly regarded family on Long Island. Only a few years earlier, she had been touted in British tabloids as one of the most beautiful American women on the London social scene. Now she was a personal assistant to a publishing executive.
Say it ain't so! A personal assistant! How horrid. What must the neighbors think? I mean, I hate to be snarky, but if you grew up without much, Cron's complaints sound like a whole lot of whining. My parents were both teachers and did their absolute best with the income they had and the many medical bills my mother incurred. We grew up in a very happy household, so I was rich in that way, but there were many times we struggled quite a lot financially. The author goes on to say,
With some income flowing in, our financial condition began to stabilize, if not inch up. It would be a long time before we could sign "Happy Days Are Here Again," but one or two green shoots were peeking up through the dirt.
I'm sure leaving the privileged lifestyle he had always known was rough, but overall, the "poor is me" narrative got old. Also, I think Cron has a highly-idealicized picture of family life, and he refers to family sitcoms throughout the book. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't know many people whose lives would live up to that. It's not real.
All of that said, and my own personal feelings aside, Cron had some funny moments. They were mostly one-liners, but they worked. As for the alcoholism, I fortunately don't have those experiences, but the scenarios Cron lays out are scary, and I cannot imagine them as my own kind of "normal." His own problems with alcohol and drugs are honest and helpful in discussing the cycle of abuse. The publicist who contacted me also indicated that though Jesus is in the title, the religious aspect isn't overwhelming, and I'd agree with that. Religion and spiritualism are not something Cron comes by naturally, but its importance to him and his sobriety is undeniable.
Though this didn't work for me, if you like memoirs or personal experiences with alcoholism, you might want to pick this one up.
It is also incredibly difficult to review a memoir because you are taking an intensely intimate work and critiquing it. I can imagine it would be difficult for an memoirist to separate critiques of the writing from the self (although arguably, this is always difficult).
So let me set it up for you: Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me is about Ian Cron's life with his alcoholic father...who also happened to work for the CIA for many years. It starts with Cron's father's job in movies in London and tracks the family through the highs and lows of his family and his father's problems. My issue with the book, and I admit up front that this is my own personal hangup, is that Cron talks a lot about not having any money after his father gets fired from his movie job in London. Except that in my book, having a nanny throughout your childhood ain't poor. Ordinarily I could overlook this, but Cron makes much of this in the first third of the book, and it felt incredibly insensitive to someone who grew up struggling.
For example, this passage drove me crazy:
As my father's drinking and depression augured downward, my mother was forced to go to work as a secretary in a publishing company - what was called a "girl Friday" - to pay the bills and keep food on our table. My mother grew up in a wealthy and highly regarded family on Long Island. Only a few years earlier, she had been touted in British tabloids as one of the most beautiful American women on the London social scene. Now she was a personal assistant to a publishing executive.
Say it ain't so! A personal assistant! How horrid. What must the neighbors think? I mean, I hate to be snarky, but if you grew up without much, Cron's complaints sound like a whole lot of whining. My parents were both teachers and did their absolute best with the income they had and the many medical bills my mother incurred. We grew up in a very happy household, so I was rich in that way, but there were many times we struggled quite a lot financially. The author goes on to say,
With some income flowing in, our financial condition began to stabilize, if not inch up. It would be a long time before we could sign "Happy Days Are Here Again," but one or two green shoots were peeking up through the dirt.
I'm sure leaving the privileged lifestyle he had always known was rough, but overall, the "poor is me" narrative got old. Also, I think Cron has a highly-idealicized picture of family life, and he refers to family sitcoms throughout the book. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't know many people whose lives would live up to that. It's not real.
All of that said, and my own personal feelings aside, Cron had some funny moments. They were mostly one-liners, but they worked. As for the alcoholism, I fortunately don't have those experiences, but the scenarios Cron lays out are scary, and I cannot imagine them as my own kind of "normal." His own problems with alcohol and drugs are honest and helpful in discussing the cycle of abuse. The publicist who contacted me also indicated that though Jesus is in the title, the religious aspect isn't overwhelming, and I'd agree with that. Religion and spiritualism are not something Cron comes by naturally, but its importance to him and his sobriety is undeniable.
Though this didn't work for me, if you like memoirs or personal experiences with alcoholism, you might want to pick this one up.
chloebeachy's review
5.0
Such a beautiful story of hope, loss, wrestling, and redemption. I loved it.
wjcsydney's review
5.0
Superb memoir. Cron had me in tears at least once a chapter. A profound book, with redemption at it's core. Cron is funny, whimsical and illuminating all at the same time.
grantklinefelter's review
3.0
The thing I love about memoirs is the glimpse into the author’s way of viewing the significant parts of their story. A good memoir reads nothing like a biography. And Ian Cron does this well.
His style of writing, choice of stories, and recounting of his life leave you fascinated and wanting more.
I was drawn in, but I felt I could only go so far as I do not resonate with so much of his story. But for those who do, I will cheerily recommend this book.
His style of writing, choice of stories, and recounting of his life leave you fascinated and wanting more.
I was drawn in, but I felt I could only go so far as I do not resonate with so much of his story. But for those who do, I will cheerily recommend this book.
belle0819's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this memoir by Ian Cron the Enneagram guy! It was an honest look at his troubling childhood and had so many references to the good old days (1960-70s).
katebelt's review
2.0
Despite endorsements by Richard Rohr, Brian McLaren, Phyllis Tickle, Jim Wallace, and the like, I just couldn't connect with his story. There was some very good writing though ..
acolonello's review
2.0
This book was just okay for me. It tells about this gentleman's life growing up with a father that had a career with the CIA from time to time and led a very secretive life. He also was a raging alcoholic. The story is about the author's life dealing with a non-present, both emotionally and physically, father and how he has overcome, to some extent, the side effects.