Ragamuffin Gospel

Manning's work comes with a foreword and a testimony, both evidence of its power. That's a heavy load, but the book largely lives up to it. Scott Brick's delivery helps; it may even be better read aloud than silently because Manning writes so much for the ear. Sounding like an educated but folksy minister--he is pitching his account to the "ragamuffins" of the world, after all--Manning piles image upon vivid image. Brick picks up this cadence and pounds away at Manning's message of an all-embracing love that emphasizes grace over judgment, perhaps grace even over dogma. Brick's voice is both dramatic and reassuring. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine