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More Joy in Heaven
Based on a real-life character, More Joy in Heaven is a gripping account of the tragic plight of young Kip Caley, a notorious bank-robber released early from prison and feted by society as a returning prodigal son.
Earnest, optimistic, and fired by reformist zeal, Kip eventually comes to realize that the welcome of his supporters is superficial and that their charity is driven by self-interest.
More Joy in Heaven was first published in 1937.
Earnest, optimistic, and fired by reformist zeal, Kip eventually comes to realize that the welcome of his supporters is superficial and that their charity is driven by self-interest.
More Joy in Heaven was first published in 1937.
200 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1937
6 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Morley Callaghan
82 books48 followersEdward Morley Callaghan was a Canadian novelist, short story writer, playwright, and TV and radio personality.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 14, 2011
Callaghan is consistently a surprisingly good writer. I still have a bit of a prejudice against him for the fact he was writing Canlit in the '30s, because I assume that it'll be boring, moralistic, or stodgy in some other way. Never am I right in asserting that, and my initial misgivings turn into pleasure as I find myself enjoying the book. Such Is My Beloved, for instance, I was wary of... it redeemed itself. This book is at least twice as good.
And it's not like I hate the 1930's - some of my favorite books are from then, but I always get the sense that someone with a name like Morley Callaghan will be some Catholic or Methodist moralizer with an axe to grind.
I really enjoyed this book. Kip Caley, ex-con extraordinaire, is a compelling protagonist who's filled with dreams of doing good, as prodigal son he is a bit hollow at times, but clearly he is set forth by the author as part of an argument – an argument the book does not really answer, but more or less questions. It's an important question – is there any basis for trust after a first breach of faith? It's almost sociological/criminological in its scope, and I got the sense Callaghan knew exactly that, and more.
And that's not even the only question Callaghan is asking with this book. It's beautifully written, don't forget it's from Depression-era Canada (a low down, dirty time), and it comes with my recommendation.
And it's not like I hate the 1930's - some of my favorite books are from then, but I always get the sense that someone with a name like Morley Callaghan will be some Catholic or Methodist moralizer with an axe to grind.
I really enjoyed this book. Kip Caley, ex-con extraordinaire, is a compelling protagonist who's filled with dreams of doing good, as prodigal son he is a bit hollow at times, but clearly he is set forth by the author as part of an argument – an argument the book does not really answer, but more or less questions. It's an important question – is there any basis for trust after a first breach of faith? It's almost sociological/criminological in its scope, and I got the sense Callaghan knew exactly that, and more.
And that's not even the only question Callaghan is asking with this book. It's beautifully written, don't forget it's from Depression-era Canada (a low down, dirty time), and it comes with my recommendation.
March 27, 2021
Morley Callaghan is probably best known for a boxing match he had with Ernest Hemingway back in the 1920s. Callaghan won, and F Scott Fitzgerald was the timekeeper. If this book is any judge, he deserves to be remembered for far more than that. He was one hell of a good writer.
This is a deceptively simple tale about an ex-convict who tries to go straight but finds it more difficult than he would ever have imagined. Everyone talks like Jimmy Cagney, see. They hang out in gin joints, see. Go to boxing matches, see. Once you get used to that kind of dialogue, you appreciate what an excellent story this truly is. The ending will stay with me for quite a while.
This is a deceptively simple tale about an ex-convict who tries to go straight but finds it more difficult than he would ever have imagined. Everyone talks like Jimmy Cagney, see. They hang out in gin joints, see. Go to boxing matches, see. Once you get used to that kind of dialogue, you appreciate what an excellent story this truly is. The ending will stay with me for quite a while.
September 20, 2012
I liked this book, especially the ending, but it was so overwhelmingly negative that it left a bad taste in my mouth. The only one who is cheerful, optimistic, and self-confident is the tragic victim of the story.
Why are so many classics about what a dark place the world is and how flawed people are? It's the reason I have a hard time liking "good" books and gravitate towards mysteries, romance, and fantasy. Why do "realistic" novels have to be so damned depressing?
"In the even, timeless flow there under the bridge the little ripples were like the voice of the priest talking about the city of God--good will, bad will, the thing he had been, the thing he was now and would be, all swept along to the lake like pieces of old furniture." (p.122)
Why are so many classics about what a dark place the world is and how flawed people are? It's the reason I have a hard time liking "good" books and gravitate towards mysteries, romance, and fantasy. Why do "realistic" novels have to be so damned depressing?
"In the even, timeless flow there under the bridge the little ripples were like the voice of the priest talking about the city of God--good will, bad will, the thing he had been, the thing he was now and would be, all swept along to the lake like pieces of old furniture." (p.122)
December 13, 2023
A melodramatic period piece but when I’m hungry for some nostalgic Canadiana I go to Callaghan. An old fashioned type of storyteller that I would describe as sort of a lightweight Graham Greene as there’s quite a bit of Catholic moralizing in his writing. I prefer his short stories but I still enjoyed this one.
April 5, 2015
This novel, published in the mid 1930s, is considered to be one of Callaghan’s best. He tells an interesting story based on the experience of a real life criminal and through the story leads the reader to consider some important questions about individual freedom as well as societal questions of parole reform.
The novel was inspired by Norman Ryan, a man who committed a number of robberies in Quebec, Ontario and the United States. While in prison he underwent a transformation with the help of a priest and was released early after serving eleven years of his sentence. He was welcomed back into society and became a celebrity, a man people were attracted to because of his story. But ten months after his release, he was shot dead while trying to rob a liquor store. This historical event becomes the basis of Kip Caley’s story.
As Kip is released, he too becomes the toast of the town. He says he just wants to lead a normal simple life like everyone else, but his reputation as someone who had been reborn makes him an attraction. People flock to him, want to take his picture, write his life story or even touch him. Although he is reluctant to be pushed into the spotlight, he becomes a valuable commodity for the opportunistic friends trying to help him. And, despite his new status as a reformed criminal, he continues to be hounded by his old friends who think this “transformation” is all a ruse. They believe it is all a coverup for another bank robbery and they want to be in on it.
Kip refuses the simple job of a parish gardener, a job the priest believes will help keep him out of the public’s continual gawking and fawning. Instead, fueled by the flattery of the Senator, the Mayor and the reporters, he gets a job as a greeter, a job that keeps him in the spotlight, attracting visitors to a hotel. His employer hopes that Kip’s celebrity will bring people from far and wide to see him, and once they are in the hotel they will spend money and fill his coffers.
But after meeting with the bishop at a gentleman’s club and attending a winter carnival as the guest of the senator, Kip’s desire for the simpler life starts to weaken. Why can’t he be a part of this life too, in the center of discussions about significant events? His dream job is a position on the parole board, but the judge who sentenced him and who does not approve of his early release, will not allow it. Caley is crushed by this rejection. He was convinced that he could do some good in that role, like he had in the prison working as a liaison between the prisoners and the officials.
Kip has never understood that the public’s fascination with him was just a passing fad, due to be eclipsed by the next big news item. As his public celebrity fades and visitors to the hotel diminish, his employer is anxious to get him into a shady wrestling deal that will again bring attention and attract more business. Kip now realizes that everyone is using him. Even those who have been his benefactors are opportunists who have been working for their own interests.
Caley is also beginning to recognize that when he gets attention, he gets excited. It is almost like the excitement and adrenalin rush of robbing banks. He knows too, that when he feels this excitement he makes bad decisions and gets into trouble. He also knows that his longing for recognition which led him first to criminal behavior and later to his transformation in prison, now needs another scheme that will bring those good feelings back. And when his public’s attention starts fading even further, he drifts towards the dark side once more.
This is a painful read, the story of a man’s attempt to turn his life around. As one is drawn quickly into the story, it becomes clear it will end badly.
Like this story, Callaghan’s other works often pose the question of man’s freedom to truly choose his own path. Are criminals the true authors of their own troubles? What limitations does society place on any man? What subtle or not so subtle forces lead to success or failure in life?
A simple story in very readable prose that raises thorny and complex questions.
A truly an excellent read.
The novel was inspired by Norman Ryan, a man who committed a number of robberies in Quebec, Ontario and the United States. While in prison he underwent a transformation with the help of a priest and was released early after serving eleven years of his sentence. He was welcomed back into society and became a celebrity, a man people were attracted to because of his story. But ten months after his release, he was shot dead while trying to rob a liquor store. This historical event becomes the basis of Kip Caley’s story.
As Kip is released, he too becomes the toast of the town. He says he just wants to lead a normal simple life like everyone else, but his reputation as someone who had been reborn makes him an attraction. People flock to him, want to take his picture, write his life story or even touch him. Although he is reluctant to be pushed into the spotlight, he becomes a valuable commodity for the opportunistic friends trying to help him. And, despite his new status as a reformed criminal, he continues to be hounded by his old friends who think this “transformation” is all a ruse. They believe it is all a coverup for another bank robbery and they want to be in on it.
Kip refuses the simple job of a parish gardener, a job the priest believes will help keep him out of the public’s continual gawking and fawning. Instead, fueled by the flattery of the Senator, the Mayor and the reporters, he gets a job as a greeter, a job that keeps him in the spotlight, attracting visitors to a hotel. His employer hopes that Kip’s celebrity will bring people from far and wide to see him, and once they are in the hotel they will spend money and fill his coffers.
But after meeting with the bishop at a gentleman’s club and attending a winter carnival as the guest of the senator, Kip’s desire for the simpler life starts to weaken. Why can’t he be a part of this life too, in the center of discussions about significant events? His dream job is a position on the parole board, but the judge who sentenced him and who does not approve of his early release, will not allow it. Caley is crushed by this rejection. He was convinced that he could do some good in that role, like he had in the prison working as a liaison between the prisoners and the officials.
Kip has never understood that the public’s fascination with him was just a passing fad, due to be eclipsed by the next big news item. As his public celebrity fades and visitors to the hotel diminish, his employer is anxious to get him into a shady wrestling deal that will again bring attention and attract more business. Kip now realizes that everyone is using him. Even those who have been his benefactors are opportunists who have been working for their own interests.
Caley is also beginning to recognize that when he gets attention, he gets excited. It is almost like the excitement and adrenalin rush of robbing banks. He knows too, that when he feels this excitement he makes bad decisions and gets into trouble. He also knows that his longing for recognition which led him first to criminal behavior and later to his transformation in prison, now needs another scheme that will bring those good feelings back. And when his public’s attention starts fading even further, he drifts towards the dark side once more.
This is a painful read, the story of a man’s attempt to turn his life around. As one is drawn quickly into the story, it becomes clear it will end badly.
Like this story, Callaghan’s other works often pose the question of man’s freedom to truly choose his own path. Are criminals the true authors of their own troubles? What limitations does society place on any man? What subtle or not so subtle forces lead to success or failure in life?
A simple story in very readable prose that raises thorny and complex questions.
A truly an excellent read.
April 14, 2019
a reread, first read in 2010
June 9, 2017
While a bit dry in a very Canadian way (think Roberston Davies), Callaghan carries much more emotion in this thematically deep book. While the tragic ending is known to the reader from the get-go, the final pages are a hard emotional journey that questions society's notions of justice, charity, and humanity.
July 4, 2007
I liked it okay but the main character was kind of predictable or unbelieveable or something.
Read
May 5, 2010Read for Roughing it in the books.
http://www.roughingitinthebooks.com
http://www.roughingitinthebooks.com
Read
January 24, 2016Re-read after many years. It stands up because of Callaghan's insight and charity. A common story told with compassion and an ear for everyday speech.
December 31, 2024
Loved the ending, and loved the concept. It's a captivating exploration of possible redemption, exploring whether someone is actually able to change or whether this is something we tell ourselves. It's a question that gets thrown into an array of nuance and complexity when also wonder about whether possible change hinges on social perception or not. Can we be other than that whom are said to be by others.
Don't let the morality tale fool you, it's also an entertaining and well paced yarn that apparently was delving into the authors personal life in ways that wasn't initially aware,
Don't let the morality tale fool you, it's also an entertaining and well paced yarn that apparently was delving into the authors personal life in ways that wasn't initially aware,
January 28, 2026
Not one of his best works, and definitely not his most subtle. I found this one to be excessively moralistic and obvious in a way that was different from Such is my Beloved and It's Never Over. Quick, boring read in the 21st Century, but I imagine it would have been much more impactful in 1937, just 2 years after the Red Ryan incident.
December 31, 2018
Based on the reformation of Canada's most infamous criminal, Red Ryan, Callaghan takes a soft approach to the story. For anyone looking for more on Red Ryan and his impact on Canada's parole system, read "Big Red Fox: The Incredible Sorry of Norman "Red" Ryan, Canada's Most Notorious Criminal".
March 28, 2020
Read for school. Upon finishing it I would have given it 2 stars because it's just not my kind of book, but after hearing the analysis of it from my teacher, it's closer to a 3 or 3.5.
July 1, 2023
Just terrible.
February 17, 2014
I read this book based on critics' reviews, which usually works. Because he was allowed to hang around Hemingway in Paris and imitated his style, I thought I would discover and enjoyable talent--the emphasis here being on "enjoyable". I even made it a point of buying it in Canada where Morley hails from and writes about. I suggest reading all of Hemingway before bothering with Callaghan.
July 31, 2013
Fuck. I just lost the page long review I just gave this book. Hit save and it just hung there forever. My own fault. ALWAYS MAKE A COPY BEFORE YOU TRY SUBMITTING A REVIEW. I'm too upset to try recreating it right now. Fuck.
April 5, 2017
Maybe it's just me, but the storytelling is hard to follow, I don't remember how many times I've said "wtf is going on?". Dialogues and actions are unrealistic and unpredictable, it almost made me think it's a group of lunatics interacting with each other: they would be talking about casual things, then suddenly one of them would get mad and started hitting whoever, and suddenly they would be cool again like nothing's happened. Again it's just my personal opinion. Good concept, but bad Execution.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews