Christopher [Paperback]

David Athey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 20, 2011

Young Christopher Lagorio sees the grandeur of God in the vast Minnesota sky, and in its cold lakes and dark forests. When a Catholic girl introduces him to the Eucharist, Christopher falls in love with her and with the mystery of the Church, but lacks sufficient faith to convert.

Haunted by the heavenly, yet born of this earth, Chris grows toward manhood seeking to discover and become worthy of the perfect girl, but yearning even more to satisfy his God-hunger.

Page by page, mystery by mystery, adventure after adventure, and with ever- growing urgency, Christopher struggles to see the Light that is ever ancient and ever new, and finally to hear the Song that is beyond human language.

A modern love story and a quest for the Holy Grail, Christopher is a tribute to genuine love and to the Faith that shaped the best of our Western Civilization.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dreamy, funny, and profound, with lovable, living characters that immediately invite you into their story. David Athey has written another marvel." --Dale Ahlquist, President, American Chesterton Society

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Sophia Institute Press (December 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933184825
• ISBN-13: 978-1933184821
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #941,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic, yet intimate March 17, 2012

By Benjamin Lusk

Format:Paperback

David Athey hit it out of the park, man.
Christopher strides a line of paradoxes throughout the entire novel that creates a beautifully fulfilling experience for the reader. Athey's style is charming and poetic, and yet frank, even at times stark. His attention to the landscape of the Midwest is epic in scope, yet viewed through the intimate eyes of a native- and one who assesses the landscape with tenderness and reverence in minute detail. The spiritual journey of Christopher and his counterparts is the same mystical and heroic saga of the saints and faithful throughout the centuries, but it is as personal as each character's own heart, and the unspoken and innermost thoughts, hopes, and fears therein. Theologically, Athey treats his characters tenderly, tempering the universal, objective truths of the soul and its relationship to God with the necessary dance of mistakes and ever-present grace. The tension of this engaging warp and weft of paradox is enthralling, and it successfully delivers a story wound around the spectrum of human emotion from the search to the discovery, from despair to triumph, and from hunger to satisfaction and back again. More than 'well worth it'.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Superior June 22, 2012

By Noah A. Thaman

Format:Paperback

Christopher is a novel written by a poet. The language is deep and rich, dominated by mystery, possibility, and the inescapibility of encountering the Divine on the shores of Lake Superior. The plot is anchored not by fantastic imposibility, but rather by the visceral terrestrial experience. It is a story that is very much human and yet it retains an atmosphere saturated by the wonder of the created realm. In many more ways than one; this is a love story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This story will make more of you. July 25, 2012

By Jessie M

Format:Paperback

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Christopher, and would recommend it to anyone who likes to be moved and grown by a story. It's full of incredible pockets of imagery and epiphany that grip you, and cause you to pause and give space to them within yourself.

The author is no doubt a poet; this shows through in Athey's perception of the natural world and the inner life of a young man as he comes of age. However, this is not simply a coming-of-age story; it is also a dance of pursuit and retreat between Christopher Lagorio and the mystery of faith, and a very believable dance at that. Athey unpacks deep theological and philosophical truths with ease and poignancy along Christopher's journey. Athey also walks a fine line between wit and substance, and keeps the chapters relatively short, which personally kept me hooked. The pace of the novel is genius. I read it in only three sittings about a month ago, and the story still lingers inside me.

In short, Christopher is the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish reading and close the cover. It will make more of you by stretching your imagination and thoughts on faith and nature, and it will remind you of the reason why you read in the first place.