Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Ian Cron - Jesus, My Father, The CIA and Me

This is a book review of Ian Cron's, Jesus, My Father the CIA and me, that I got through Booksneeze.

In the book Jesus, My Father, the CIA and me; Ian Cron tells a remarkable story of how what it is like to live with an alcoholic father. He starts out the story while his family is doing well in England and ends it off where he is married an living in the United States with his own family. Ian tells of the struggles and trials that a person has to go through living with an alcoholic parent. He outlines the different approaches of trying to get close to his father by first being a good upright Catholic, then a party goer, and then a great student. This shifting of personalities helps him in no avail in getting close to his father. He starts living a life filled with parties as well, and becomes an alcoholic himself, while also addicted to drugs. When he finally finds religion through one of his friends he makes a slow recovery and ends up becoming a priest and gives up alcohol.

Even though the issue that Ian deals with in the story is alcoholism I found myself thinking of many different things that can create a rift between children and their parents. Many of the stages and struggles that Ian deals with can be found in many other situations as well. Ian’s coping methods, drugs and alcohol, can relate to many people and how they deal with their problems. Seeing how Ian struggled, Ian showed how even the largest struggles can be fought with a proper focus on the Lord. Written as memoir the book is truly enjoyable to read.