08/10/2015
Popular Jesuit author (Jesus: A Pilgrimage) and media commentator Martin turns to fiction in this warmly comforting tale of a grieving mother who owns a building but has no day-to-day job, a dissatisfied handyman, and an abbot, whose lives come to intersect and are gently changed. Three years after the death of her teenage son in an accident, Anne is stuck in grief. Her tenant Mark works as handyman at an abbey, feeling underemployed and lonely. Father Paul heads the abbey and wonders if he should be an abbot. Anne, whose father once worked for the abbey, is drawn to it after a car breakdown brings her back to the place she visited when a child. Martin offers a simple story about complicated people whose lives need God for direction and healing. His skill as a novelist is fair; the plot is thin but the characters are well drawn. His real strength is his pastoral sensibility—his compassion shines through the character of Father Paul. Like his fellow Jesuit Pope Francis, Martin is a persuasive evangelizer for a God, and church, of mercy. (Oct.)
The Abbey: A Story of Discovery
Narrated by James Martin
James MartinUnabridged — 5 hours, 13 minutes
The Abbey: A Story of Discovery
Narrated by James Martin
James MartinUnabridged — 5 hours, 13 minutes
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Overview
A story about finding strength in our faith when faced with struggle from*New York Times*bestselling author Reverend James Martin. **
In his debut novel, Reverend James Martin, SJ, provides a window into the spiritual journeys of three people seeking direction, showing us firsthand how God uses our worries, questions, and even anger to help us become whole.
As he did in his previous bestsellers, Martin once again crafts a book that incarnates deep spiritual wisdom while being accessible and full of humor and grace, with characters such as:
- A divorced single mom, Anne can sometimes barely cope with life and struggles to make sense of the death of her young son.
- A former architect who had a promising career, Mark works as a handyman and wonders how his life got off track.
- The abbot of the Abbey of Saints Philip and James, Father Paul sometimes questions how to best live a life that secludes him so thoroughly from the world.
- At a Pennsylvania abbey, this unlikely trio will discover the answers they seek-a miracle of hope and understanding that bears witness to the surprising power of God to bring healing and wholeness to our lives.
“With this beautiful, touching and utterly believable novel, seekers will be gently invited to encounter the divine and believers be encouraged to deepen their relationships with God. I loved this book and loved the characters!” -Richard Rohr, author of*Everything Belongs
Editorial Reviews
With wit, wisdom and elegant prose, Martin has written a powerfully moving novel about (among other things) how an unbeliever can journey from suffering into spiritual practice. How it happens in an eyeblink. Another triumph from one of our best writers working like a master in a new form. — Mary Karr, author of Lit
“A sheer delight—funny, engaging, deep and moving.” — Ron Hansen, author of Mariette in Ecstasy
“More than a vivid portrait of a grieving mother; this tender novel shows us how, with simple words and acts, we ordinary, flawed human beings can help each other find our way to God.” — Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk
With this beautiful, touching and utterly believable novel, seekers will be gently invited to encounter the divine and believers be encouraged to deepen their relationships with God. I loved this book and loved the characters! — Richard Rohr, author of Everything Belongs
“[A] warmly comforting tale...[Father Martin’s] real strength is his pastoral sensibility-his compassion shines through the character of Father Paul. Like his fellow Jesuit Pope Francis, Martin is a persuasive evangelizer for a God, and church, of mercy.” — Publishers Weekly
“Touching, funny and beautiful. A top pick!” — RT Book Reviews
“Compassionate, engaging…with tender wit and wisdom, Martin offers an in-depth glimpse into committed religious life and how lay people can practice a devout faith amid doubt, anger and questioning.” — Shelf Awareness
“Martin’s debut novel might be compared to Paulo Coehlo’s popular fiction…Martin’s great achievement here is that the shows how [his characters are] able to have a mystical experience of God as a result of imaginative contemplation, and he succeeds in making it seem entirely natural.” — The Tablet
“Father Martin’s richly written tale gives us insight into the workings of a modern monastery and shows how God uses our worries, anger and doubts to help bring us to Him.” — Simple Grace Magazine
“Martin brings his characteristic ease of personality into both the characters and the prose, quickly bringing readers comfortably into the story. He handles the most delicate and painful themes with a pastoral compassion that invites readers to find hope in their own struggles.” — The Huffington Post
“Unputdownable” — Brendan Walsh, The Tablet
“A new and improved version of those 18th-century philosophical tales such as Voltaire’s Candide or Dr. Johnson’s Rasselas. . . . What makes it an improvement is that the characters are not literary types, but recognizable persons.” — Philly Inquirer
“This is a wonderful story of love, loss and finding one’s place in religion lived out. I think we can all find ourselves in one of these characters, relating to their struggles. It’s always the mark of a good book when you are sad for it to end…inspirational reading.” — The Catholic Newbie
“Martin applies his trademark charm, wit, and intelligence. . . . The result is a delightful and thought-provoking allegory of faith in the modern world.” — BookMark from WPSU
“What is clear after finishing The Abbey, which this reviewer devoured in one sitting, is just how much Martin truly believes in the often repeated mantra of his nonfiction works, “With God all things are possible”... A splendid novel.” — St. Anthony's Messenger
With this beautiful, touching and utterly believable novel, seekers will be gently invited to encounter the divine and believers be encouraged to deepen their relationships with God. I loved this book and loved the characters!
With wit, wisdom and elegant prose, Martin has written a powerfully moving novel about (among other things) how an unbeliever can journey from suffering into spiritual practice. How it happens in an eyeblink. Another triumph from one of our best writers working like a master in a new form.
A sheer delight—funny, engaging, deep and moving.
Martin brings his characteristic ease of personality into both the characters and the prose, quickly bringing readers comfortably into the story. He handles the most delicate and painful themes with a pastoral compassion that invites readers to find hope in their own struggles.
Touching, funny and beautiful. A top pick!
Compassionate, engaging…with tender wit and wisdom, Martin offers an in-depth glimpse into committed religious life and how lay people can practice a devout faith amid doubt, anger and questioning.
Father Martin’s richly written tale gives us insight into the workings of a modern monastery and shows how God uses our worries, anger and doubts to help bring us to Him.
More than a vivid portrait of a grieving mother; this tender novel shows us how, with simple words and acts, we ordinary, flawed human beings can help each other find our way to God.
Martin’s debut novel might be compared to Paulo Coehlo’s popular fiction…Martin’s great achievement here is that the shows how [his characters are] able to have a mystical experience of God as a result of imaginative contemplation, and he succeeds in making it seem entirely natural.
Martin applies his trademark charm, wit, and intelligence. . . . The result is a delightful and thought-provoking allegory of faith in the modern world.
A new and improved version of those 18th-century philosophical tales such as Voltaire’s Candide or Dr. Johnson’s Rasselas. . . . What makes it an improvement is that the characters are not literary types, but recognizable persons.
What is clear after finishing The Abbey, which this reviewer devoured in one sitting, is just how much Martin truly believes in the often repeated mantra of his nonfiction works, “With God all things are possible”... A splendid novel.
This is a wonderful story of love, loss and finding one’s place in religion lived out. I think we can all find ourselves in one of these characters, relating to their struggles. It’s always the mark of a good book when you are sad for it to end…inspirational reading.
Unputdownable
Martin, a Jesuit priest, is deservedly admired for his astute nonfiction writings about religion, but this foray into fiction is a disappointment. His characters lack dimension and his narration can’t overcome the superficial portrayal of spiritual issues. His writing style favors simple declarative sentences, which Martin delivers without energy. Although there are terms, such as vespers and compline, that might require explanation for some, the overall tone of the author’s delivery seems to talk down to the audience. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940170412112 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperCollins |
| Publication date: | 10/13/2015 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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