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Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: By God As Told to John Shore
 
 
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Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: By God As Told to John Shore [Hardcover]

John Shore (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)


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Book Description

September 15, 2005
An unorthodox way to deliver the Good News.


Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Review Praise for Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: "John Shore is a remarkably gifted writer who knows exactly what he is doing." -Jacquelyn Mitchard, syndicated newspaper columnist, and author of The Deep End of the Ocean (the inaugural novel of Oprah’s Book Club), and four other bestselling novels.

"John Shore, the legitimate son of Kurt Vonnegut and Dave Barry, writes with freaky energy and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed this very funny book: its style, its tone, its construction--everything about it. Penguins is a winner." -Richard Lederer, author of over thirty books on the English language, including the bestsellingAnguished English series.

"I know that for both chronological and biological reasons it's not possible, but if St. Augustine and Soupy Sales had a son, I think he would write almost exactly like John Shore. Shore is a madman and a genius, and this book is so happily wrought I don't know what to say about it--except that this is the book many, many folks have been waiting for. It's a genuine triumph, a killer combo of astronomical wit and wisdom. I, for one, would like twenty-five copies immediately." -Eric Metaxas, author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know about God (but were afraid to ask); Veggie Tales author.

"Excellent! This is one funny book, in an era when religion isn't funny--but should be, if it's serious." -Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods; Fly-Fishing for Sharks: An Angler's Journey Across America (Simon & Schuster); and The Web of Life (Conari Press).

"God could not have chosen a more observant and witty person to bring believers and non-believers together. After reading Shore's book, I felt better equipped to defend my faith. More importantly, I felt better equipped to celebrate it." -Steve Kissing, author of Running from the Devil: A Memoir of a Boy Possessed (Crossroad Books).


"Mere Christianity meets Mad Magazine." -The Very Rev. Scott Richardson, Dean, St. Paul's Cathedral (diocesan cathedral of San Diego).

"I truly believe that one day very soon John Shore is going to be hailed as the most important and original writer of our times." -Larry Duthie, president and publisher, Placer Community Newspapers, Inc. (Mr. Duthie's papers have won over 240 NNA awards.)

"What a funny, bright writer this man is!"
-Judy Reeves, author of The Writer's Retreat Kit (May, 2005); A Writer's Book of Days; Writing Alone, Writing Together; and A Creative Writer's Kit (all from New World Library).

"John Shore's talent is so abundant, so rich, that I feel somewhat hung-over, as though I had imbibed too much verbal bubbly last night, and now can't remember what I was wearing when I jumped in the fountain. That fountain is the wellspring of faith in John's Penguins, Pain & the Whole Shebang--and splashing about in it is sheer delight. Its clear Mr. Shore will have a long career, and quite a following. He's gone up his personal Sinai and come back down with something attuned to his times. I applaud and admire what he's done. His voice is fluid and natural and swift; his humor is pitch perfect. I cherish the notion that John found God in a supply closet. That's the sort of experience which makes a spiritual awakening real, human, tender, true, and utterly credible."
-Patricia K. Davis, author of the novel Midnight Carol (St. Martin's Press).

"Penguins is what would happen if you crossed Anne Lamott with Philip Yancey--and threw in a bit of Leo Rosten, just for good measure. I haven't laughed so loud since reading The Sirens of Titan in college. The bottom line here is that John Shore is an exceptional writer." -Jan P. Dennis, literary agent and discoverer of Frank Peretti, Stephen R. Lawhead, Ted Dekker, etc.

"Mr. Shore is on his way to becoming the C.S. Lewis of the new millennium. This book is sure to help people on their journey toward God." -John Penrose, president, Children To Love.

"Penguins, Pain & the Whole Shebang is fantastic. I found it stimulating, fun, informative, provocative, Earth-shaking--in a word: Revolutionary. I love it." -Kim Flachman,! editor of such college English textbooks as The Prose Reader; Focus: A College English Handbook; and the Mosaics compositional series.

About the Author

John Shore is a magazine editor and writer who lives in San Diego. He is he co-author of a book with Richard Lederer entitled Comma Sense. before he began writing for a living John worked in a law office; it was there, in a supply closet, alone, out of nowhere, that he had his sudden conversion experience.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Seabury Books (September 15, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1596270195
  • ISBN-13: 978-1596270190
  • Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,440,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John is a popular blogger on JohnShore.com and for "The Huffington Post."

Here is what others have said about him:

"For the record: John Shore is the opposite of a NALT. ('NALT' stands for 'not all like that,' the phrase you hear from liberal Christians whenever you bitch about conservative Christians, i.e., 'We're not all like that!') Liberal, progressive, and tolerant Christians who wonder what they can do to counter the power and the hatred of the religious right should follow John's example. At the very least all you NALTs out there should be reading John's blog." -- Dan Savage, Savage Love, and founder of the It Gets Better Project.

"John Shore is awesome. The minute I started reading his stuff, I knew he was a brother from another mother." -- Rob Bell, author of "Love Wins," "Sex God," and "Velvet Elvis."

"Shore is a humorist whose work is more comedic than Donald Miller, and his appeal to Christians is more direct."-- Michael Spencer, a.k.a. The Internet Monk, and author of the bestseller "Mere Churchianity."

"John Shore is funny as hell and smart as hell, which is good because I've heard that we're both going to spend a long time there." -- Tony Jones, Theoblogy; The Tony Jones Blog; author of The New Christians; The Sacred Way; Postmodern Youth Ministry; Divine Intervention; Ask, Seek, Knock; and others.

"John Shore is one of those rare writers who can make people laugh and think at the same time. He's one of the most talented, funny, and deeply thoughtful writers I know. He's a sincere pleasure to read."-- Richard Louv, author of international bestsellers "Last Child in the Woods," and "The Nature Principle."

"John Shore is a remarkably gifted writer who knows exactly what he is doing." -- Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of "The Deep End of the Ocean" (an Oprah's Book Club selection), "Twelve Times Blessed," and "The Breakdown Lane."

"John Shore, the legitimate son of Kurt Vonnegut and Dave Barry, writes with a freaky energy and humor and imagination that illuminate his characters' and readers' hearts. He's the real thing."-- Richard Lederer, author of more than thirty books on the English language, including the bestselling "Anguished English" series and "The Miracle of Language."

"Shore is a madman and a genius."-- Eric Metaxas, author of bestsellers "Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery," and, "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy," the Christian Booksellers Association 2011 Book of the Year.

"John Shore's unique, honest, and passionate writings draw us to dig a little deeper, to listen with the intention of truly hearing and understanding each other. He gives voice to those without a platform; he puts into words our latent questions/ observations about today's topics that are begging to be addressed from the viewpoint of an informed Christian"-- Spencer Burke, founder of TheOOZE.com

 

Customer Reviews

31 Reviews
5 star:
 (28)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars It's brilliant., April 13, 2006
This review is from: Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: By God As Told to John Shore (Hardcover)
This is definitely one of the best books I've read in my life. I have been struggling with depression and problems with my boyfriend. This book made me laugh out loud about 10 times when I was reading it. My boyfriend dumped me the night I read it, and because of this book I was okay with it. It changed my perspective on a lot of things. It's hysterically funny, but the theology is really good at the same time. It will make your sides cramp up from laughing, and make you really think. I recommend this book to every single person on the planet, no exceptions at all. "Penguins" is absolutely amazing.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Talking Like the Man, February 7, 2006
This review is from: Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: By God As Told to John Shore (Hardcover)
First let me say that I'm a fundamentalist Model Agnostic.

After reading this book, I found myself walking around talking like the Big Guy. John's co-author is truly inspired. The back flap contains a picture of John but "no picture available" of the co-author. I'm not sure if that's to avoid the problems the Danish are dealing with regarding the "cartoons."

Seriously you don't need to be a "believer" to get a lot from this book. The writing style is unbelievably brilliant. The voice is great. The pace is perfect. This is really skillful stuff. I still don't agree with the substance of a lot of the book but that's fine.

I will say that if most people could sit around and have a brew with the co-author of this book, it would do more for "spreading the Gospel" than all of the stuff coming from those churches and TV preachers.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read! Perfect gift for any skeptic. Meaningful FUN!, October 18, 2005
By 
Manalive "Allen" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: By God As Told to John Shore (Hardcover)
Reading Penguins and pain took me back to my days as a raging skeptic/agnostic. Many of the thorny theological questions it tackles-in its unique and humorously penetrating way-are the very questions I wrestled with back then (`then' being the 60s). In those days, I rejected all traditional presentations of Christianity-I sure would have welcomed the way these issues are handled in Penguins. What a fun way to approach thinking about God! A great gift for any skeptic or doubter. Great also for Christians who will enjoy a fresh presentation of the faith. I loved this book!
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