The Prodigal

Starred review from September 2, 2013
Cowritten by the late Manning (The Ragamuffin Gospel) and Garrett (Free Bird), this novel is more than an updated version of a well-known Bible story. The authors take the essence of the prodigal son saga and put it in the context of a fresh fictional tale that is both relevant and realistic. The story’s characters are human and given to failures, but also filled with compassion and a deep desire to do the right thing. Jack Chandler has been doing the right thing for a long time, but for all the wrong reasons. As senior pastor and founder of a Seattle megachurch, Jack’s good deeds are headline-making news. When he flounders, his mistakes are equally visible. As he lands at the bottom of a bottle, the last person Jack expects to come to his rescue is his long-estranged father. Jack’s road to recovery and restoration is not an easy, forgive-and-forget path, but a rollercoaster ride through others’ misconceptions and trepidations. Many readers will relate to Jack’s struggle to reconcile relationships and redeem himself. A wonderfully written story that is as entertaining as it is thought provoking. Agency: Alive Communications.

November 15, 2013

A preacher at a megachurch and best-selling author, Jack Chisholm seems to have it all until his perfect world collapses after his infidelity is made public. With a marriage and a career in shambles and nowhere else to go, he returns to the small town where he grew up. Instead of recrimination and hatred, Jack finds community and a father who welcomes him with open arms. Jack's troubles are far from over, but with faith, hope, and grace, he just might overcome them. VERDICT This contemporary retelling of the parable of the Prodigal Son by Manning, the late best-selling author of The Ragamuffin Gospel, and writer Garrett (Free Bird) is an uplifting tale that reveals the depth and breadth of God's love and forgiveness.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2013
The Prodigal is the much anticipated novel by the late best-selling spiritual writer Manning (The Ragamuffin Gospel, 2000) and theologian and author Garrett. Manning's signature honesty, wit, and compassion are evident in this redemptive tale, a modern take on the prodigal son. Jack Chisolm knows what it's like to live the good life. He's one of America's best-known pastors and has a beautiful family, wealth, and the conviction that God is on his side. After a fall from grace, however, Jack finds himself with nothing, dragged back to Texas by the father he hasn't spoken to in a decade. As Jack gets back on his feet, he rediscovers what it means to live a life of faith. He also comes to recognize the power of a father's love and the importance of community. Manning and Garrett do a wonderful job bringing to life the downfalls of a superficial form of contemporary Christianity, while dramatizing struggles readers can easily relate to. This story of love found and grace extended will bring hope to everyone who reads it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)