The Beginning of Calamities

Alternately poignant and hilarious--and sometimes both at once--this saga of gifted but lonely little Danny Burke, who writes an Easter passion play that gets put on at his Catholic grammer school, is enormously readable. It is also beautifully written.The book resonates with all my memories of my own Catholic grammar school. We had our debacles too, but they were not as funny or as moving as the fixes Danny--in his passion for his passion play--gets himself into.

I just finished The Beginning of Calamities and really enjoyed it. Tom House is a wonderful writer, with a great sense of detail and a memory that doesn't quit. I found the ending tremendously moving, and I found so much of the story hilarious. Generally stories centered around or based in religion don't interest me, but I was captivated all along. It's a true joy!

A fantastic read! I couldn't put it down. House has really broken ground with this dark comedy. Little Danny Burke has captured my heart as did his band of misfit school mates. I haven't seen a more colorful cast of children since the Peanuts gang. Liz Kaigh and Carol Burke are laugh out loud perfect. I will be looking for Tom House's next work. What a great movie this would Be. Bravo to House!

In Tom House's The Beginning of Calamities, hero 11 year old Danny Burke bears the laughter of classmates at his humiliation in a Passion play he has written, and he bares all in his naked drive to be himself. I disagree with the Publishers Weekly review, to say that the book builds to a satisfying climax. It is a real page turner. I also do not agree with that review in its claim that the writing about the classroom rehearsals are repititious. House deftly gets us through the agony of those rehearsals, holding this reader's interest. We want to know if Danny will get to play Jesus, and will the play ever make it to the stage. Danny is a believable and lovable character. His mother is also especially sympathetic, harried, disappointed by older sons, wanting her life, incredulous at her son's religious devotion although nominally Catholic herself. There is also the humor, including Danny's imaginery friend Arram, who leads Danny on into the naked daring of his life.

The Beginning Of Calamities by Tom House is a "reader riveting" novel about Danny Burke, a shy, eleven-year-old, fifth grade Catholic school student, whose awkwardness, difficulty fitting in, genetic predisposition toward homosexuality contribute to his many difficulties growing up. Danny writes a play from the gospels called "The Passion of Christ," yet his involvement in seeing the drama through one disaster after another leads to a surprising climax. An engagingly wry and knowing tale, The Beginning Of Calamities is literate and recommended reading.