Customer Reviews

Clerical Errors

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Forget kindly, selfless Father Flanagan - his antithesis is Father Edmond Music, a priest gone far astray. He finds joy in celebrating the pleasures of the flesh with his housekeeper, Maude, is involved in the disappearance of a thought-to-be Shakespeare manuscript, was born a Jew, and worst of all, he's an unabashed atheist.

Let's say up front that some will be offended by what they may consider blasphemy; it's pure Isler who won the 1994 National Jewish Book Award for "The Prince Of West End Avenue." He's satirical, laugh out loud funny, exquisitely literate, and touching. He's also unwilling to be reined in by "popular constraints."

Thanks to a much earlier love affair with the robust Kiki, who gave the church her family home, Beale Hall, Father Music is contentedly assigned to be the Hall's director with the stipulation that it be used as a spiritual retreat.

Regrettably, the priest's laissez faire attitude has earned him a persistent enemy, one Father Twombly who is determinedly investigating the disappearance of a valuable manuscript from the Hall's library. Thus, at a rather advanced age Father Music is forced to try to outwit his vengeful nemesis.

Mr. Isler laces his text with ruminations on life, love, and faith - not longueurs but substantial food for thought offered with sly winks and witty prose pictures. "Clerical Errors" is a rich rabelaisian feast.

After reading the masterpiece "Prince of West End Ave", I dove into Clerical Errors. Isler does not disappoint. This too is a gem. Isler belongs in the modern pantheon.

Devoted Catholics may be offended by the work. However, this misses the point. Its not really about Catholics. Any more said would spoil this carefully crafted tale.

After reading Clerical Errors; then the reviews "Distasteful" and "Exquisitely Literate...." I'm somewhere in the middle. I think 5 stars gives this work far to much credit, 1 too little. Mr. Isler ruminates is right -- in excess; to the point it's distracting. On the other hand Clerical Errors is filled with some amusing (though hardly original) observations. If a "poke" at catholicism offends, then don't read this book. In truth, any study of history will expose much of what Isler uses as jabs to the faith. This is nothing new.

Unfortunately, he also seems to use Father Music's ruminations about his life and "career" as a Catholic priest to periodically trot out the obligatory mention of the WWII atrocities committed against the Jews, the religion of Father Music's family. In addition, Father Music appears to view his cast off faith (Judaism) in a better light than the one that provided him with a secure and comforatable life. Despite the misgivings of his later years, he doesn't show any sign of giving up his present comfortable position.

Each religion has it's contradictions, problems, and flaws. Unfortunately the book is lopsided in it's assessment of the two faiths that have impacted Father Music's life.

All in all, don't expect much that's original, but have some fun with the antics of Father Music and Father Twombley.

I ordinarily like a book that's a challenge. But this one didn't appeal to me. The opening line was funny enough for me to think I was going to have a good time, but the pace was quickly mired by the stylizations of the author, who introduces (without much call) ponderous literary and historical references, and quotes from the most erudite thinkers and writers, almost as if to prove that he is, or his character is -- what, older? educated?

Frankly, if it was meant to help a characterization along, then it wasn't done gracefully. I felt more like the author had a copy of "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations" by his side, and less like this style contributed to the humour, plot, or characterizations. At least the passages where the characters interacted (dialogue) were worth skipping forward to read. But I found the writing to be so pre-occupied with its "look how well-read I am" feel that I lost interest in the book entirely and ended up putting it down.

I don't recommend this book for any but the most committed reader. Someone willing to bypass easier entertainment.

How can one admire a prose style and at the same time be repelled by the uses for which it is employed? The answer is, Easy, when it is a smirking anti-Catholic screed like Alan Isler's CLERICAL ERRORS. Mr Isler's protagonist in the book, a rather insufficiently converted Jew turned Roman Catholic priest, misses no opportunity to libel his new religion (although it provides him with a comfy livelihood)and bewail the wrongs done to the people of his birth. Believers are portrayed as ignorant bumpkins or malign pederasts. CLERICAL ERRORS will find its audience among those who want their worst assumptions about Christianity reinforced.

To his credit, Mr. Isler has managed to develop a style that is cut-rate Nabokov, although lacking the broad intelligence behind the model. That is the only positive comment one can make about this rancid work.