""When I firstdiscovered the grainy picture in my mother's desk-me as a towheaded two yearold sitting in what I remember was a salmon-orange-staine...
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Feb 10, 2012
Robert
rated it: 
Homo Homini Lupus
http://manisawolftomen.blogspot.com/
Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir of Sorts tells the story of the author and of his strained relationship--if relationship it can be called--with his father. From the start Cron grabs the readers attention with pithy anecdotes and personal story that break up the main biographical arc of the narrative. The book moves through the life of the author in a number of stages, and even without their being separated and di More...
http://manisawolftomen.blogspot.com/
Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir of Sorts tells the story of the author and of his strained relationship--if relationship it can be called--with his father. From the start Cron grabs the readers attention with pithy anecdotes and personal story that break up the main biographical arc of the narrative. The book moves through the life of the author in a number of stages, and even without their being separated and di More...
Feb 03, 2012
Nancy
rated it: 
This account of a boy's childhood blasted by a father's alcoholism and secret life is so lyrical you can almost forget how horrible it was in the living of it. Ian Morgan Cron is a gifted writer who seamlessly weaves together the conflicting emotions and the inner turmoil of this kind of upbringing.
Surprisingly, a wry humor leavens Mr. Cron's relentless tale of sorrow. A few hints of an idyllic boyhood that could have been find their way into the narrative. In particular, I loved the More...
Surprisingly, a wry humor leavens Mr. Cron's relentless tale of sorrow. A few hints of an idyllic boyhood that could have been find their way into the narrative. In particular, I loved the More...
Jan 21, 2012
Sarah
rated it: 
I've read the reviews for this book - they were what made me want to read it in the first place. I seriously don't see how I am reading the same book as all of these people, because the very things that everyone praises are the things that I think are worst about this book.
Nothing about this book is unique. It's an overgrown blog entry, another hipster Christian book trying to be edgy with pop culture references that will quickly become obsolete and disjointed childhood memories with More...
Nothing about this book is unique. It's an overgrown blog entry, another hipster Christian book trying to be edgy with pop culture references that will quickly become obsolete and disjointed childhood memories with More...
Dec 19, 2011
David
rated it:
I was predisposed to think Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me by Ian Morgan Cron would be great. It was recommended to me by friends, coworkers, a vicar’s wife I met on retreat, even the editor who asked me to review it for Relevant Magazine's year-end best-of-2011 list. I picked up a humidity-soaked copy at the Wild Goose Festival in North Carolina in June, where the euphoria surrounding the book was palpable.
I normally resist such mania. Anything that gets that many people so quickly More...
I normally resist such mania. Anything that gets that many people so quickly More...
Nov 22, 2011
Jakki
rated it:
I was struck with the profound loneliness and self loathing of the main character as a young teenager all because of the actions of his alcoholic father. His grief as an adult before working through his very dysfuntional childhood brought panic attacks, bad dreams, chest pains, sadness/anxiety, raging anger and his own issues with self medication.
Written as a memoir and wondering just how much of the author's story actually happened and how much was remembering as he thought it hap More...
Written as a memoir and wondering just how much of the author's story actually happened and how much was remembering as he thought it hap More...
Nov 15, 2011
Kj
rated it: 
Jesus, My Father, The CIA and Me - A Memoir of sorts, to give it it's full title, is probably only a 3/5 star book for me.
I don't want to give it two stars, because it wasn't terrible, I guess it just wasn't my genre.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but if you put 'the CIA' in the title, it sounds like its going to be exciting. It really had very little to do with espionage, and had you taken those two words out of the title it would have reflected the book better. Unfort More...
I don't want to give it two stars, because it wasn't terrible, I guess it just wasn't my genre.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but if you put 'the CIA' in the title, it sounds like its going to be exciting. It really had very little to do with espionage, and had you taken those two words out of the title it would have reflected the book better. Unfort More...
Aug 25, 2011
Jennifer
rated it:
What a good read! I downloaded it and read the ebook in a matter of hours. Ian’s “sort of” life story is touching, sad, funny, and spiritual. An authentic tale of his life as the son of an alcoholic part-time “Company” man, Ian weaves together the pieces of his past into a tapestry of a quest – one that every believer finds himself in the middle of, at one time or another – the search for an authentic father and a true connection to the perfect Father.
The book has the optimism that only th More...
The book has the optimism that only th More...
Aug 18, 2011
Readnponder
rated it:
I picked this up on the recommendation of Bryan Borger at Hearts & Minds Bookstore in PA. The story grabbed me immediately. Ian's father was an alcoholic and CIA agent. His beautiful wife was the classic codependent. The family lived in England and New England. When the father was sober and employed, the family lived in affluence. Other times, they were on the edge of poverty.
Scenes in the book are absolutely memorble. I howled with laughter when, during leaner times, the More...
Scenes in the book are absolutely memorble. I howled with laughter when, during leaner times, the More...
Jul 07, 2011
Bob
rated it:
You know, there are those books you read and quickly can not recall. There are those books that give you an stray thought or two. And then there are books that get under your skin and transform the way you look at things. This is one of the third kind. This book is powerful, at times even overwhelming. You can not read this book and approach fatherhood or the Eucharist the same way again. You can not read this book and think of Christianity the same way. This book will change you.
Cr More...
Cr More...
Jun 18, 2011
Kristine
rated it:
I was attracted to the title and photo on the front of the book of a toddler in a lifeboat waving. Ian Morgan Cron explains the picture in the first chapter as being beckoned by his past self. Cron also warns the reader: "...I couldn't tell the whole truth about my childhood by rigidly sticking to the facts." Cron aptly concludes chapter 1 with: " This a record of my life as I remember it - but more importantly, as I felt it."
Jesus, My Father The CIA and Me is a " More...
Jesus, My Father The CIA and Me is a " More...
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Jun 17, 2011
Melanie
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I have recently been introduced to the genre of Memoir books and find them fascinating! I love hearing about how people learn to take the life they find themselves in and not only reflect back on the past (with all the hurts and bruises) but move forward because or in spite of it. Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me- A Memoir of sorts by Ian Morgan Cron is just such a story! He is so interesting to read, and such a good storyteller, that I read this book in just a few short sessions.
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Jun 16, 2011
Tina
rated it:
Lethal Combination: Astute Observations on Life's Poignant and Devastating Moments with a Generous Dollop of Wit and Tenderness
Franz Kafka summed it up well when he said,"I think we ought to read only books that bite and sting us. . . . What we need are books that hit us like a most painful misfortune, like the death of someone we loved more than we love ourselves, that make us feel as though we had been banished to the woods, far from any human presence, like suicide. A book More...
Franz Kafka summed it up well when he said,"I think we ought to read only books that bite and sting us. . . . What we need are books that hit us like a most painful misfortune, like the death of someone we loved more than we love ourselves, that make us feel as though we had been banished to the woods, far from any human presence, like suicide. A book More...
Apr 16, 2011
Pat W.
rated it:
I wonder at the nightmare that is too many childhoods—parents victimized by addiction and children victimized by parents.
The author admits to some fictionalization only because of the inaccuracy of memory. But this story comes from truth. Ian comes from a family who live in the upper strata of what passes for class in America. They go through poverty and then back to prosperity. His father belongs to the CIA and often disappears without explanation. He rubs shoulders with the presid More...
The author admits to some fictionalization only because of the inaccuracy of memory. But this story comes from truth. Ian comes from a family who live in the upper strata of what passes for class in America. They go through poverty and then back to prosperity. His father belongs to the CIA and often disappears without explanation. He rubs shoulders with the presid More...
Jul 12, 2011
Amy L.
rated it: 
Note: Review copy provided by publisher.
Cron's memoir, whether of sorts or not, is an honest admission of what it was like growing up with a secretive and emotionally absent alcoholic father. Throughout the narrative Cron struggles with trying to gain his father's acceptance, first through misbehaving and then through overachieving, in an attempt to gain the recognition and love his father was never capable of giving. In the meantime, he manages to earn a degree, find a wife, have hi More...
Cron's memoir, whether of sorts or not, is an honest admission of what it was like growing up with a secretive and emotionally absent alcoholic father. Throughout the narrative Cron struggles with trying to gain his father's acceptance, first through misbehaving and then through overachieving, in an attempt to gain the recognition and love his father was never capable of giving. In the meantime, he manages to earn a degree, find a wife, have hi More...
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Jun 06, 2011
Daniel
rated it:
Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me by Ian Morgan Cron
Ian Morgan Cron in Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me recounts key moments in his life and his growing relationship with God. Cron was born to affluent parents, including a father who was an executive for Screen Gems working in the United Kingdom. His parents socialized with the rich and famous in London, but the senior Cron’s entertainment career was wasted by a curse, the curse of alcoholism. Oh, and his father worked for the fledging More...
Ian Morgan Cron in Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me recounts key moments in his life and his growing relationship with God. Cron was born to affluent parents, including a father who was an executive for Screen Gems working in the United Kingdom. His parents socialized with the rich and famous in London, but the senior Cron’s entertainment career was wasted by a curse, the curse of alcoholism. Oh, and his father worked for the fledging More...
Jan 07, 2012
Tom
rated it:
Refreshingly funny and heartrendingly familiar. This book captures the essence of my childhood and so many memories that I thought God would want me to suppress and move past now that I have come to Christ. This memoir helped me to see the that the course of my life is truly a story that God is writing and that He has been present all along. Instead of creating new memories alone (which I do often), I am intrigued to explore the memories of my childhood and ask God to show me His rope that he
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Jul 07, 2011
Trinity
rated it:
Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me A memoir…of sorts by Ian Morgan Cron is one fantastic book. This is the second book by Ian and I think his best so far.
The story is mainly about Ian’s life and how he survived an alcoholic father who showed little if any love to him and also how he became the same person without realizing it.
This is an amazing story that held my attention through the whole book. It is a book that is full of despair, hopelessness, but also one of hope, pe More...
The story is mainly about Ian’s life and how he survived an alcoholic father who showed little if any love to him and also how he became the same person without realizing it.
This is an amazing story that held my attention through the whole book. It is a book that is full of despair, hopelessness, but also one of hope, pe More...
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Jul 16, 2011
Agnes
rated it:
Books like Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir. . . of Sorts are the reason I love the Good Reads First Reads program so much. It's unlikely I would have picked this up if I hadn't received my free copy but it ended up being a surprisingly touching book.
The synopsis at IndieBound reads: “An autobiography of Ian Morgan Cron, a clergyman in the Episcopal Church,” which is about as inaccurate as a synopsis can get while remaining technically accurate. Based on this description, More...
The synopsis at IndieBound reads: “An autobiography of Ian Morgan Cron, a clergyman in the Episcopal Church,” which is about as inaccurate as a synopsis can get while remaining technically accurate. Based on this description, More...
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Jul 10, 2011
Mike
rated it:
"Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me" (A memoir of sorts), is a life story of the author, Ian Morgan Cron.
Cron, an Episcopal Minister, takes the reader on a ride of Ups and Downs as he tells the story of his life. Usually, I have found, memoirs of this sort, tend to be of interest to the writer and to their family, however, Cron has woven a story that once picked up, the reader can not put it down.
I found my self laughing and crying (depending on the sit More...
Cron, an Episcopal Minister, takes the reader on a ride of Ups and Downs as he tells the story of his life. Usually, I have found, memoirs of this sort, tend to be of interest to the writer and to their family, however, Cron has woven a story that once picked up, the reader can not put it down.
I found my self laughing and crying (depending on the sit More...
Jun 28, 2011
Ashley
rated it:
There's something unique about Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me, and I can't quite pinpoint it.
It could be Cron's honesty from the very beginning, "So what's really true in this account of my life, you ask? If while reading you become uncertain about where the line between fact and fiction lies in my history, then welcome to my childhood" (p. 5).
Or, it could be the vulnerable and heart-wrenching, yet funny, story-telling, which I'm not used to from a male author. More...
It could be Cron's honesty from the very beginning, "So what's really true in this account of my life, you ask? If while reading you become uncertain about where the line between fact and fiction lies in my history, then welcome to my childhood" (p. 5).
Or, it could be the vulnerable and heart-wrenching, yet funny, story-telling, which I'm not used to from a male author. More...
Jul 27, 2011
Christina
rated it:
This book is a very compelling and true story about the struggles of growing up in an alcoholic/abusive home and the impact it has on every part of your being. It is a story about anger and forgiveness, hatred and grace, and ultimately, healing. It is NOT a book about how God makes everything better. It IS a book about how God is ever-present and reaching out to help us, even when it seems as if He doesn't care at all. Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, this book will speak to your heart
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Dec 08, 2011
Kevin
rated it:
I'll begin by saying I LOVED this book. Cron takes readers to his childhood and its cast of characters, and a fascinating but dysfunctional cast it is. Cron writes about life without sentimentalizing the past and without shocking the reader. The result is a "memoir" that shimmers with wisdom. Damage gives way to healing, and Cron recognizes opportunities to pass on what he's learned without ever assuming an overly didactice role, either for the reader or his own children. The writing i
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Nov 24, 2011
Dan
rated it:
This book; as the title suggests is a memoir of sorts. The author reflects on his life living with an alcoholic father and how it affected his family structure and growth. He does discuss Jesus, his father and his father’s involvement in the CIA , but really it is about him and how he becomes who he is today.
Cron is a good story teller and the book flows easily and I enjoyed reading it; especially when he discussed his own children and his hopes for them.
Although labeled More...
Cron is a good story teller and the book flows easily and I enjoyed reading it; especially when he discussed his own children and his hopes for them.
Although labeled More...
Oct 24, 2011
Gretchen
rated it:
This is a memoir by the author and it tells the story of his childhood and life. It tells the story of his struggles to live with his alcoholic father who was in the CIA, and his own struggle with drinking, and how he found faith and Jesus. It it fantastically written, and very much keeps your interest. Though sad and upsetting at times, the book is filled with hope and there are times when I laughed out loud. I really enjoyed this memoir, and I hope the author writes more!
I won this More...
I won this More...
Dec 14, 2011
Kristen
rated it:
It is probably easiest to talk about Jesus, My Father, The CIA and Me by talking about what it is not.
It is a memoir of a difficult childhood, but without every gory detail. If you are looking for long descriptions of abuse, this is the wrong book to read.
It is not really about the CIA. There are no glamorous tales of espionage from the point of view of a spy's child.
So, what's left? A spiritual memoir about finding God in the midst of suffering. Reflections More...
It is a memoir of a difficult childhood, but without every gory detail. If you are looking for long descriptions of abuse, this is the wrong book to read.
It is not really about the CIA. There are no glamorous tales of espionage from the point of view of a spy's child.
So, what's left? A spiritual memoir about finding God in the midst of suffering. Reflections More...
Dec 31, 2011
Ellen
rated it:
I really enjoyed this memoir by an Episcopal priest; I read it for book club, and am glad I did... Ian Cron is the king of the one-liners! I marked many of his quotes and original ponderings. The son of an alcoholic who then himself became an alcoholic, Ian delves into the mindset of the family members and how they are affected by this addiction. His childhood was surrounded with fear and uncertainty, which are anathema to most children, who crave stability and security. It was a very inspiring
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Jan 19, 2012
Mark
rated it:
Growing up in the Golden Age with a father that moved the family from Hollywood to England, who hung out with movie stars and the nations star politicians made young Ian, a thoughtful young boy, very curious. The family had good times and lean times, times when father was gone from the home. As he got older he realized his father was working for some clandestine branch of the government, a spy know less.
Unfortunately it was his father’s drinking that caused the family hard times, times whe More...
Unfortunately it was his father’s drinking that caused the family hard times, times whe More...
Nov 15, 2011
Heavensent1
rated it:
Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me is a memoir...of sorts.
Author, Ian Morgan Cron, tells his life in a personable and off-hand manner, knowing he has lived this life, but not totally believing all the players in his game.
As a young boy, he had many questions concerning his father and their lifestyle. His father was very mysterious and would often be gone for long periods of time or have to stop what he was doing and head off into the unknown. When Ian found pictures of his da More...
Author, Ian Morgan Cron, tells his life in a personable and off-hand manner, knowing he has lived this life, but not totally believing all the players in his game.
As a young boy, he had many questions concerning his father and their lifestyle. His father was very mysterious and would often be gone for long periods of time or have to stop what he was doing and head off into the unknown. When Ian found pictures of his da More...
Jan 07, 2012
Jan
rated it:
I thought it would be a book on growing up with so many secrets and not realizing they weren't like everyone else. Oh and Dad was an alcoholic. Well, i was really surprised. It was all of those things, but full of humor and wit that i found myself laughing until i couldn't breathe. My husband thought i was having another "moment", but it was really the great way he shared his childhood with the reader. I love that he didn't just tell the best of the worse, but his honest emotion,
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Nov 18, 2011
Bethany
rated it:
The man can tell a story.
This is the kind of book that you genuinely cannot put down. Not only are his stories just that good, but his writing style is so comfortable and engaging even as he is talking about difficult issues. In conversation as in books, tangents are often annoying, but with this guy, you literally thank him for them.
The tail end (last chapter or so) of the book diverged in style in a surprisingly serious way. It wasn't bad, just different.
I highl
This is the kind of book that you genuinely cannot put down. Not only are his stories just that good, but his writing style is so comfortable and engaging even as he is talking about difficult issues. In conversation as in books, tangents are often annoying, but with this guy, you literally thank him for them.
The tail end (last chapter or so) of the book diverged in style in a surprisingly serious way. It wasn't bad, just different.
I highl
