Fatherless

The book was hard to put down, so I didn't. The author wove several moral dilemmas of our current culture thoroughout the 500 plus pages that kept me at it until it was completed. It read like a much shorter novel. Even though the book was fiction, the problems and situations the main characters found themselves were for the most part believeable and in one way or another could and or have happened in real life. The book speaks not only to Catholics but to any and all Christians and non-Christians. It leaves much for one to reflect upon and ponder. I can't wait for the sequal to find the - "rest of the story."

Within this site there are a number of reviews that offer a great detail of information for both the story and for the facts that are shared with the reader. So I shall not reiterate much of what you find in those reviews. In summary, the book is outstanding. The facts of using artifical birth control and its impact upon women is greatly documented. There is also a strong thread regarding the results that can logically (though subtley) occur when a person vacates their moral duty as they evaluate such decisions. The author has obviously drawn upon substantial (and probably very painful) real life experience regarding the personal pain for a parent of a mentally ill child. Plus there is very believable portrayal of life in the fast lane of Madison Avenue, which again represents the experience(s) of the author. All of this lends credence and belief to the setting, the story and the facts contained therein. You may be a person that does not agree with the information or of the moral responsibilities that the author clearly points to within his story. If you are however, an open-minded person of good will, then you will find this story compelling and the facts worthy of your consideration. In fact it may lead you to change your position on certain aspects of American life. I greatly enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the story, and the opportunity it provides to absorb important information within a compelling plot. I greatly recommend that you read this book.

FATHERLESS is one of the best Catholic novels I have read in a long time. It focuses on the spiritual journey and personal purgation of Fr. John Sweeney--from being a "good" but mediocre priest to becoming the priest that God wants him to be. Along the way, Brian Gail interweaves the stories of several families in Fr. John's parish and--by doing so--captures what has happened to the Catholic Church in America since the 1960's and Vatican II. If that sounds boring, I assure you, it ISN'T. Mr. Gail has a talent for bringing home the crises in American families through the description of their very personal battles...together with their failures and successes. The episodes that took place were so captivating that I found myself turning the pages quickly to find out what happened next--often well past my normal bedtime--thereby causing severe bouts of sleep deprivation. FATHERLESS was not only thoroughly researched, it was a well-told tale that held my interest from the first page to its satisfying conclusion. Brian J. Gail is a very talented writer and an excellent story-teller. I hope to see more from his gifted pen.

I could write a few thousand words about why I like this book. I lost sleep because I couldn't put it down. Here's my recommendation: Christmas is coming soon so if you are leading a ministry team at your parish that doesn't seem to have enough zeal, get them this book. If you know priests who are burned-out, get them this book. If you have family members who seem to be questioning, get them this book. If your kids are aged 15-35, get them this book. If you know anyone who is thinking about leaving the Church, get them this book. If you want to change someone's opinion about the Catholic Church, get them this book. Finally, if you just want an exciting read that captures the state of the Catholic Church in the US over the last two generations, get this book!