This book … “is a record of my life as I remember it – but more importantly, as I felt it” is how Ian himself describes his memoir… of sorts.
Somehow, Ian is able to not just look back at his life as a little boy and teenager, but rather he becomes the boy/teenager again, viewing his life through their eyes.
He grows up with what later turns out to be lies or at best half-truths. The mantra of his family is ‘don’t ask (specifically about his dad’s work) and absolutely don’t tell (about his dad’s drinking)’.
At 16 year’s of age, Ian learns that the innuendoes his father dropped from time to time are true and he indeed works for the Agency since before his birth. It leaves him bewildered since he sees his father as an uncommitted, untrustworthy alcoholic who is not able to take care of his family. How on earth could he be useful to the Agency?
This double life his father leads, the personality he plays during his assignments, catches up with him when he becomes the one he pretends to be. A harmless, shallow American who drinks too much. Later in life Ian learns more about the mental background of his father giving him a deeper understanding of who he really was and how that affected the family.
His mother, who didn’t sign up for this type of life, but stuck with it till her husband passed away, is a strong woman who picks up the slack when her husband lets them all down. However, motherhood doesn’t come naturally to her and Ian receives more love and compassion from his nanny.
As a young boy Ian experiences God at his first Holy Communion, impacting his life profoundly, even tough he later gets angry at God for not answering his prayers. Ungrounded and convinced he is not lovable, he mostly parties his way through high school and college. But Jesus stoops down to him and at long last he reaches a measure of peace regarding his faith. He continues to grow as a believer and later becomes a priest.
Even though Ian touches many tough life issues, he manages to write his memoir with a lightheartedness and humor that entertains and gripes you from the start. Often times, you don’t really know if you should laugh or cry. It is an amazing read that keeps you captivated till the last page!
Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: a memoir … of sorts
By Ian Morgan Cron
Thomas Nelson Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
2011, 257 pages
USD 15.99
ISBN 9 780849 946103
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from Book Sneeze. My obligation is to write a book review. My opinion expressed in this review is my own and in no way influenced by Book Sneeze.
