Review: "Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A memoir...of sorts"

Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me:  A memoir … of sorts.   How much of the story of our lives is truth?  Ian Morgan Cron writes his page-turner of a memoir of sorts with the caveat that he has smoothed out the history and the characters of his story for the sake of reading.  It is a compelling story of a child brought up with an abusive, alcoholic father who secretly worked for the CIA.  (Frighteningly, he relates an agent telling him that most CIA agents are alcoholics.)

Cron rebels and ends up being very much like his father, abusing his body and friends, especially in the realm of alcohol.  But God – and then specifically Jesus – kept at him.  Through images, friends, strangers, and audio, God kept breaking through.  Then in college, Cron came to faith.  The memoir then jumps forward to near present day talking about his service as priest.

His memoir is readable and engaging – hopeful for all those who grew up in less than holy families.  If you or someone you know is struggling without faith, or has a child who has strayed from the faith, or if you are a parent of such a child, you may find comfort and strength in this book.  (The only “issue” I had with it is the rather sudden jump from college to the present day.)

 [This review appears on Amazon.com and on my blog.  I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson for this review.]