"Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me" By Ian Morgan Cron

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Ian Morgan Cron. Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir. . . of Sorts. Thomas Nelson, 2011. 240 pgs. 


"This is a memoir, but please understand that (to any writer with a good imagination) all memoirs are false... we can always imagine a better detail than the one we can remember. The correct detail is rarely, exactly, what happened, or what should have." John Irving. 

Cron opens up his memoir noting that it is a memoir, not an autobiography nor a history. It is the story of his life, told through memory tinted glasses, as only our own stories can be. As stories go, Cron lays out an engaging and thought provoking story. Growing up with an alcoholic father who also worked for the CIA, and all the attendant pains of both of those facts, Cron has much to tell. Here, then, is the story of his growing up. 

As a story, this book was excellent. Cron touches on, and explores, deep themes of forgiveness, love, reconciliation, and many others. Stylistically, this book was quite enjoyable. I even laughed out loud, making this the third author to ever accomplish that (Douglas Adams and Steven Erikson being the first two on this short and distinguished list). Some of his comparisons did get tiresome; by the time you finish meeting the cast of Cron's childhood you realize that they are all much larger than life. I suppose those are the lenses of childhood. 

Conclusion: 4.5 Stars. Recommended. This was a very good book and an worthwhile story. 


"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".  

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