Running Into the Arms of God: Stories of Prayer/Prayer as Story [Hardcover]

Patrick Hannon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2005

This spiritual memoir draws on Hannon’s wealth of experience, his family life, childhood and professional life as a high school teacher to show how God is present in every aspect of our lives, how the seemingly mundane events in our lives can reveal the presence of God. For example, the simple act of sitting on a bench at dawn in the middle of San Francisco becomes a spiritual wakening and a morning prayer of praise for an entire city. This collection of poignant, heartbreaking and hilarious short stories is organized around the Liturgy of the Hours.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: ACTA Publications (September 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879462957
• ISBN-13: 978-0879462956
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,766,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Absolute Delight, March 22, 2006

By 

H. Soza (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Running Into the Arms of God: Stories of Prayer/Prayer as Story (Hardcover)

You don't normally think of spirituality as a "fun read" but this small book can put a whole new spin on the concept of relating to God and when is it, exactly, that we are praying. It is engaging, poignant, thought-provoking (in a positive, non-troubling way) and conveys an optimism about how to live and experience life. I recommend this book to everyone who believes that life has a larger purpose --- if you take its meaning to heart it can make every day of your life a fair bit richer. I received this book as a Christmas present and, in turn, have now given it out as a gift to many of my closest friends and family members --- getting unanimously positive comments in return. This one is really worth it.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that will touch you and make you think, October 21, 2005

By 

Kendall "Irish Fan '06" (Notre Dame, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Running Into the Arms of God: Stories of Prayer/Prayer as Story (Hardcover)

Fr. Hannon has written a truly remarkable book. The collection of stories he has included in this work range experiences with his family straight up through the high school he was principal for winning the state championship in baseball. Regardless of the story, however, Fr. Hannon includes a wonderful narrative, one that draws you in and thus allows you to feel the same emotions as the author did in the same situation.

Many of these stories are humorous and leave you wanting to pick up the phone and call your family members to relive some of your own humorous happenings. Others are sad and will perhaps echo with some previous experiences of the reader. Regardless of the tone of the story, the author's powerful command of the English language and engaging style helps the reader show that no situation, no matter how seemingly small or not important, is in fact a blessing and an opportunity to prayer.

I would recommend this book for anyone. If you are looking for a fun book to read, this will be extremely enjoyable and will leave you wanting to read more from Fr. Hannon. Or perhaps you are looking for a book to help rediscover or reinforce your spiritual life. This book will definitely do that as well. It will help you discover that at anytime of day and in any situation, God and prayer are right there.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR A STORY?, October 5, 2006

By 

Peter Fennessy (Bloomfield Hills, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Running Into the Arms of God: Stories of Prayer/Prayer as Story (Paperback)

Anyone who likes a good story should like this book. It is a delightful and enlightening work that I have been recommending to my friends. Patrick Hannon, a young Holy Cross priest, generously shares with us tales of his family and his life. They are warm and engaging stories in themselves and Hannon is a great storyteller. And in his faith he reveals to us another dimension of reality -- that of prayer which is laced through the fabric of ordinary life, usually not recognized or recognizable as prayer until a book like this points it out. You will enjoy the book, you will want to pass it on.