What if Jesus suddenly appeared and announced that he planned to run for President of the United States? Yes, that Jesus. And what if a well-meaning but utterly inexperienced band of disciples not only helped him mount a seat-of-the-pants campaign but also ran it well, getting millions of people to support him and in the process throwing the other two major party candidates—as well as the world's news media—into a frenzy as they scramble to discredit him?
Roland Merullo's bitingly clever satirical novel about the state of American politics follows one man's campaign to bring back goodness and kindness (real goodness and kindness this time) in a country that has fallen into a divisive state of fear and hatred. Merullo takes us into the heart of "a nation in grave spiritual danger" as the Son of man sets out to make everyone realize that "politics as usual" is no longer an acceptable alternative.
American Savior is a remarkably innovative novel that challenges our perceptions and beliefs while it wags a finger at the folly of our self-righteousness. It is sure to cause controversy among those for whom politics itself has become a kind of religion.
Merullo takes an original route to satirizing the American electoral process during what became a particularly heady 2008 election: he envisions Candidate Christ running for president. Merullo's Christ preaches kindness above all else, and he shows it to his staff on a daily basis by feeding them Indian food and displaying "a straight-faced goodness amid the grimy mechanics of campaigning, polling and dealing with the media" (Washington Post). Merullo has created a niche for himself in religious satire (Golfing with God [2005] and Breakfast with Buddha), but he manages to shirk the bitterness that often befalls his peers, even if this Jesus's statements never reach true religious epiphany. Even so, American Savior is funny, fresh, and, in its best moments, inspiring. Copyright 2008 Bookmarks Publishing LLC
Roland Merullo was born in Boston and raised in the working-class city of Revere, Massachusetts. He had a scholarship to Exeter Academy and graduated in 1971, attended Boston University for two years, transferred to Brown and graduated from Brown in 1975, then earned a Master's there--in Russian Studies-- in 1976. Roland has published eleven novels and four books of non-fiction, and given talks at hundreds of universities, schools, bookstores, and other venues. He currently lives in Massachusetts with his wife Amanda and their two daughters. He can be reached via his website: RolandMerullo.com.
Merullo's new novel, Lunch with Buddha, is the long-awaited sequel to Breakfast with Buddha and details a road trip from Washington State to North Dakota with the same wonderful characters as its predecessor. In a Starred Review, Kirkus Magazine called it, "a beautifully written and compelling story about a man's search for meaning that earnestly and accessibly tackles some well-trodden but universal questions. A quiet meditation on life, death, darkness and spirituality, sprinkled with humor, tenderness and stunning landscapes."
For more details go to LunchwithBuddha.com or Roland Merullo's FaceBook page or website.
His best-selling novel, Breakfast with Buddha, recently went into its 14th printing. Like Golfing with God before it, and American Savior after it, Breakfast with Buddha treats questions of philosophy/spirituality from a multi-denominational viewpoint and with a healthy dose of humor. The novel is provocative, not irreverent, and it has become a favorite with book clubs all over the country. It was based on an actual trip Merullo took from New York to North Dakota, most of it in the company of his wife and daughters. Another novel, Golfing with God, has just been optioned for film by Gemfilms.
His Alex Award-winning 2011 novel, The Talk-Funny Girl, recently out in paperback, is the story of a teenage girl in rural New Hampshire who escapes an abusive home life in a most unusual way. It follows a theme that can be found in almost all Merullo's books: a person overcoming some past trauma, whether that be the stress of war, illness, divorce, addiction, or early abuse.
The Alex Awards are given by the Young Adult Library Services Association to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.
Several old favorites--Leaving Losapas, A Russian Requiem, Passion for Golf, Revere Beach Boulevard, and Revere Beach Elegy, have just been reissued from AJAR Contemporaries, in print form and as e-books. AJAR has also brought out Roland's small book of writing advice, Demons of the Blank Page. Roland does workshops based on this book at libraries and other venues. Watch his FaceBook page for news of these workshops.
Merullo has a side-speciality, golf writing. His articles and columns appear frequently in Golf World Magazine, and his golf books include GOLFING WITH GOD, THE ITALIAN SUMMER, AND PASSION FOR GOLF.
He also writes regularly for the Boston Globe Op-Ed page.
Jesus Christ for President of the United States. I expected this book to be entertaining, somewhat amusing, maybe Pratchett like. I was right. I was also wrong. This was a fascinating political satire that challenges our political system, the media and indeed our very culture.
It does this in a way that is certainly entertaining. At times it is amusing. But essentially, it is so much more. This book forces us to look more deeply into our beliefs, and the way we live and believe. It forces the reader to see that there are options and that perhaps more than options, possibilities.
What would the country be like if we chose kindness over cruelty. Generosity over greed. Truth over lies. Compelling stuff. It had the effect of making me more dissatisfied than ever with the status quo. I miss more than ever, something that we never really had.
Read this book. It doesn't preach to you. It is a quick read, it won't strain your brain, it will make you smile. It is certainly an easy read. But when you close the cover after you have read the last word. You will feel better about yourself. You will know just a little bit more about love.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel by Roland Merullo but with each page I turned I found myself thoroughly entertained. Often hilarious, especially in today's political climate, I laughed out loud many, many times at Merullo's remarkable humor. I loved the twisted logic Merullo used to create his media characters and found the puzzle of discovering who's who absolutely amusing, Chapter 36 is filled with subtle punches at the American media and how it reports elections in this country. Almost no current media "starlet" is left untouched; the names are enough to leave a reader rolling with laughter!
I have to say I began this novel afraid I would be taken into a scathing slant at either what has become Christian in America, or faced with the mockery of Christ. I was pleasingly surprised to find Merullo's prose to be both funny and profound while at the same time very grounded in the Gospels. To a non-religious but highly spiritually person I felt refreshed reading this novel and imagining the possibilities of Christ returning to our cynical and materialistic world and how he might deal with us all. Here we find Christ still compassionate, vulnerable and charismatic as he forms his band of modern disciples from yet another motley crew of people who are so touched by the man and his message they drop their semi-successful lives to run Christ's campaign. During the crazy campaign of a soul nobody believes in we find the innocent Christ riding bulls, surfing a wave and playing touch football in the mud the night before his modern last supper. I have to say Merullo knows his stuff and with a contemporary spin manages to revive the often politically manufactured Gospel into a profound teaching again. Christ may or may not hold Merullo's perspective on the BIG issues of presidential campaigns today but at least we are faced with a fairness that is so often missing in today's society. Merullo's Christ sees through gray glasses issues are not black and white and discussion has come back into play with this highly likable, even lovable, character that Merullo created with terrific insight.
This is the perfect book to read during this political season whatever your slant; it is both right and left winged, like an angel. Laugh at the silliness of human seriousness and linger in the wisdom taught so long ago by a man called Christ, brought back to earth as an incredible character while we face America's most important election in decades. It just might bring that old campaign slogan of HOPE into a new perspective.
I picked this book up on a whim. Call it a divine appointment if you will. Just a few days before Amazon served it up to me as something I might like I was bemoaning our current political atmosphere and made the comment "Jesus Himself couldn't get elected in America". Lo and behold, then Roland Merullo's novel comes along. I had to read it.
Of course it's an unlikely story. Those critical of the book saying Jesus would never run for office remind me of people who don't get a the joke "A duck walks into a bar and says..." because, they say, ducks can't talk. The point of the book is not that Jesus would run for office. The point is what if Jesus did run for office. The story is narrated by a mediocre reporter that Jesus chooses to head up his campaign security. The disciples Jesus chooses to help him are like the disciples he chose in the Bible. You scratch your head saying "Why would he choose...?" They're confused people lacking confidence like all the rest of us. I think Roland Merullo did an excellent job of capturing the essence of Jesus. Jesus was a man who intrigued the intellectuals. The Pharisees and Saducees might have hated Him but obviously He was no intellectual lightweight. Jesus can charm the women. He's a man's man. He's loved by children. He's macho and sensitive at the same time. He's humorous. He's sharp tongued. He infinitely patient yet at times He becomes exasperated. Just as some see the Jesus of the Bible as warrior and some a pacifist, such is Roland Merullo's Jesus.
Some might complain that Roland's Jesus is too left leaning or his Jesus is too right leaning. That's the point! The Jesus of the Bible was also criticized when His views didn't meet expectations. When He didn't come down on the side that was "obviously" right (like whether they should pay taxes to Caeasar). Roland Merullo's Jesus refuses to be politically correct.
Honestly, some of the characters in the book outside of Russell (who narrates the story) and Jesus are pretty flat. But, who would be standing next to Jesus? The story pulls you forward wondering what Jesus will reveal next. Roland puts some very deep theological/philosophical/existential thoughts in the mouth of Jesus. Some will find them too "New Age" I'm sure. But, this book is not really for your more fundamentalist Christians. It's for people who are still exploring who Jesus was, what He meant. What was His real mission? If He came back today, what would He do? Some might be shocked when Jesus says He didn't come (the first time or this time) to be worshipped. He came to be emulated. Those who think it's all about what you think of Jesus will be appalled to hear Jesus say He doesn't care what you think about Him only that you develop what is already inside of you. When Jesus refuses to take a stand making abortions illegal (and sounds more like Barack Obama than Sarah Palin) some will find that utterly unthinkable (as did several of the characters in the book). But, Roland presents us with a Jesus who is almost as mysterious and intriguing as the Jesus of the Bible.
