Jesse Crosse: a novel

by Michael J. Moran

Overview

Mike  Moran  first  attended  Little  Rock  Catholic  High  School  for  Boys-all four years.  On  the  basketball  team,  he  was  a  point  guard.  Then,  as "Mr. Moran,"  he taught  English  for forty years, also at Little  Rock  Catholic  High School for  Boys.  Recently  retired,  Moran  wrote  the  boys  a  novel. The tale revolves  around  a  struggling  small-town  basketball  team  with  a  nerdy manager  and  a  Walter  Mittyesque  coach.  Presented  with  too  few  players  to  scrimmage  in  practice,  the  manager  takes  it upon  himself   to  spread the word throughout the school: "We need you on the team." Three young  students  appear,  diminutive  in  stature  and  with  scrawny  chests, unimpressive  at first sight.  But  with  the  trio,  and  their  fleet  leader  Jesse Crosse,  the  team  first  experiences  shock,  then  inspiration   and  constant surprises.  The team  bonds,  leading  to stories that will  be  retold  a very  long time  in  a  small, out-of-the-way  town.  It's not a  long  novel;  like one's high school  years,  it goes  by  before  you  know  it. Only the  message  is eternal.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935166450
Publisher:	Parkhurst Brothers, Inc.
Publication date:	05/01/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Michael J, Moran taught English at Little Rock Catholic High School for Boys, until his retirement in 2006.  Jesse Crosse is his first novel.  He now lives in Little Rock with his wife, the poet Catherine Moran.

Table of Contents

Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Extras An explanation from the author Who’s Who? Identifying the parallels Who Said It? (And why was it important to the story?) Questions for Mike Moran, author of Jesse Crosse—A Novel:

Editorial Reviews

“There’s more to this basketball story than meets the eye.….Jesse Crosse, the story of a hopeless basketball team brought together by an inspired group of new recruits and a fearless coach, turns out to be both moving and uplifting.

a senior at the University of Notre Dame; a former Garrett Quinn

"What would happen if the Messiah appeared as a black teenager on a high school basketball team in a small Southern town?  Michael J. Moran's always interesting and sometimes provocative novel will evoke new ideas and interesting discussions for both younger and older readers.  Clever allusions to characters, places, and events from the Gospel narratives are nothing less than brilliant."

John M. Keith

Like all good allegories, this one is a fast-paced story of universal appeal that has, just below its surface, another even more gripping story which keeps winking at us.  The result is also two-fold: a book you’ll love reading and a reading experience you’ll remember for a long time to come.

Phyllis Tickle

An inspired and uplifting story, Jesse Crosse tells the adventure of a small town high school basketball team as it learns the meaning of excellence and the transformative power of goodness through the example of one extraordinary teammate.  Superbly written, Jesse Crosse will find its way into every reader’s heart. Sure to go to film one day.

Frank Butler

"There's more to this basketball story than meets the eye.  Jesse Crosse, the story of a hopeless basketball team brought together by an inspiriting group of new recruits and a fearless coach, turns out to be both moving and uplifting."  

—Garrett Quinn, now a senior at the University of Notre Dame, a student of the author when he was point guard on the state champion 2008 Rockets of Little Rock Catholic High School

"Like all good allegories, this one is a fast-paced story of universal appeal that has, just below its surface, another even more gripping story which keeps winking at us.  The result is also two-fold: a book you'll love reading and a reading experience you'll remember for a long time to come."

—Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours and The Great Emergence.

"An inspired and uplifting story, Jesse Crosse tells the adventure of a small town high school basketball team as it learns the meaning of excellence and the transformative power of goodness through the example of one extraordinary teammate.  Superbly written, Jesse Crosse will find its way into every reader's heart.  Sure to go to film one day."

—Frank Butler, President, FADICA

"High school students will enjoy this fast-paced, easy read with a gender-friendly plot and basketball-play narrative.  A well-developed and meaninfgul allegory develops between Jesse and Jesus.  The discussion guide will be extremely helful."

—Jean N. Timko, librarian, Sacred Heart School, Kentucky

"Exciting reading for high school basketball players, this unique book was written by one who knows the intracacies of basketball.  Readers of Jesse Crosse will be motivated to strike a blow agains mean and ugly racial prejudice." 

—J. Phillips Noble, author of Beyond the Burning Bus: The Civil Rights Revolution in a Southern Town

"What would happen if the Messiah appeared as a black teenager on a high school basketball team in a small Southern town?  Michael J. Moran's always interesting and sometimes provocative novel will evoke new ideas and interesting discussions for both younger and older readers.  Clever allusions to characters, places and events from the Gospel narratives are nothing less than brilliant."

—John M. Keith, Episcopal priest and author of The True Divinity of Christ: a testiomony of faith and hope

From the Publisher

Like all good allegories, this one is a fast-paced story of universal appeal that has, just below its surface, another even more gripping story which keeps winking at us.  The result is also two-fold: a book you’ll love reading and a reading experience you’ll remember for a long time to come.

author of The Divine Hours and The Great Emergence Phyllis Tickle