Fiction that Tells the Truth

Craig Hazen has ventured into a very challenging contemporary endeavor:  to use fiction, story-telling, to write about the weighty issues of theology, philosophy, and ultimately redemption.  It's easy to lament that the appeal of storytelling is usually utilized to communicate bad ideas; Craig has taken on the challenge it to share good ideas in the novel Five Sacred Crossings, due out January 1.  .

I don't read much fiction anymore because I'm usually bored by it.  Many authors fall into predictable formulas.  I found Craig's book engaging, entertaining, and intellectually stimulating.  That's a rare combination, especially in fiction.

This is a truly unique book:  a page-turner that is intriguing, intellectually and spiritually insightful, and a timely thriller that left me in tears.  Craig has woven fiction and substantive theology and philosophy in a form that will attract and engage many people who wouldn't otherwise pick up a book on these topics.  Good fiction is harder to do, I think, than writing about religion, and he's done both well.  It really is a must-read.

Comments

[Louis Kuhelj]

"Many authors fall into predictable formulas. "

I think a better way to charecterizee this is that these authors lack creativity. It is that lack that leads to "predictable formulas." This is not too surprising to me. I see many examples of people in a line of work they are not cut out for. The degree to which Mellinda's position is true, is the degree to which our population is in the wrong line of work. Now there are many reasons for this, but the most common is just plain greed. If humanity fails to reach its full potential, greed is certainly one of the major driving forces toward failure. Success cannot solely be evaluated o the basis of material afluence. There is wealth of creativity that enriches our lives, sometimes much more so than material wealth, much more as Melinda clearly shows she understands in this piece. The harder thing to admit is that the very thing that ruins Chrismas for many of us, greed, is the thing that also ruins enjoyment of the wide veriety of gifts that are being ignored by those persuing the benefits of those they don't have, simply because they want material wealth.

[Aaron Snell]

>>Now there are many reasons for this, but the most common is just plain greed.

Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

It's the dirty story of a dirty man
And his clinging wife doesn't understand.
His son is working for the Daily Mail,
It's a steady job but he wants to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

Paperback writer (paperback writer)

It's a thousand pages, give or take a few,
I'll be writing more in a week or two.
I can make it longer if you like the style,
I can change it round and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

If you really like it you can have the rights,
It could make a million for you overnight.
If you must return it, you can send it here
But I need a break and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

(any other Beatles fans out there?)

[Louis Kuhelj]

We all live in a yellow submarine, we want to paint it green, we want to paint it green...

[Mo]

Absolutely, Aaron!