God's Other Son

by Don Imus

Tells the story of outrageous TV evangelist Billy Sol Hargus, God's other son, who has it all--fame, wealth, women, and Jesus Jets--and suddenly disappears

Genres: Fiction, Humor

350 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Don Imus was an American radio personality, television show host, recording artist, and author. He was known for his radio show Imus in the Morning which aired on various stations and digital platforms nationwide until 2018.

Reviews

[Gregory Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I should not have read, but did any way.
I never laughed so hard in my life and felt so dang guilty for doing so.
It's a very very irreverent book...
But it is dang funny....

[Addie Watkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t even get through it and I’ve been known to power through a novel just to give it a fair chance. It was kinda funny, but the narrative just wasn’t enjoyable enough to justify the effort I kept putting in to try and like it.

[Barbara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Glad I read it, just so I have another reason never to listen to, or read another, Don Imus.

[Tyler Fenwick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funny at parts but probably too long and definitely a lot of unnecessary ... uhhhh ... filth.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because a few friends of mine thought it was hilarious. Well...I think parts of it were funny. Other parts were just, lackluster. I think it helped I listed to the audio, otherwise I probably wouldn't have finished it. It definitely had funny moments, they just weren't often enough in my opinion, or this humor just didn't jive with me. I'm not sure which is the better answer. Either way, read it if you like crass humor that will likely cross most of your comfort lines and recross them for good measure.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like a Palanhiuk book written by a wannabe Dan Jenkins.

Still, it was better than I expected, as long as I ignore the fact that Imus wasn't funny on the radio in my lifetime and was ultimately revealed to be pretty unpleasant.

The unnecessary epilogue complicates the themes a bit, too. A bit of a chickening out.

I almost went three stars, but let's not get carried away.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have fond memories of this book. This was the first book I have ever read. IT's weird and quirky, and very funny at times. When I picked it up, for some reason, I thought it's REALLY GONNA TALK ABOUT GOD'S OTHER SON. *chuckles*. Not... quite :).

[Etta]

Can’t review, read the 1st page & shut the book. I got the book at the library’s “fill a bag for $1.00” I hated it immediately, making fun of our Lord & using His name in vain, really? I threw the book in the trash.

[Sarah Rigg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an impressionable 13- or 14-year-old. Sexy, blasphemous, funny.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the funniest books I have ever read. I totally belly laughed out loud while reading it.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is what's playing whilst I bake some apple cupcakes for my main man - it's going to be hard to see through the tears of laughter. It's all plastic dashboard apostles, tv evangelists and jingly gospel singing - oh and money, lunacy, scatalogical jokes and smut, lots and lots of smut.

It comes with this info:


This book is just bloody weird. Im not recommending or promoting it, just putting it out there since nobody else has.

Book Description
Imus is back, by popular demand, with the Second Greatest Story Ever Told, the hilarious novel about the most outrageous TV evangelist of them all, Billy Sol Hargus.
"God had two sons. Jesus was His first, and I, Billy Sol Hargus, am His second." Thus begins Don Imus riotously funny story about the life and times of the lecherous, corrupt, hustling, huckstering television evangelist who claims to have a 2,000 year old brother named Jesus. From his backwoods Texas country, preacher roots, Billy Sol rose to dazzle the nation as a Superstar Minister, preaching at soldout stadiums and traveling across the country.

Reverend Billy raked in the dough, the fame, and the women. And then it happened, just like Amelia Earhart and Jimmy Hoffa, Billy Sol vanished one day into legend, disappearing from the face of the earth. But unlike anyone else in the Family, Billy kept a diary, and now his tapes, believed lost, can finally be heard. Praise the Lord!


Product Details

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (November 23, 1994)
Language: English
ISBN,10: 0684801663
ISBN,13: 978,0684801667

[Chuck · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Don Imus, his irreverent humor and his right to display it publicly. I remember once driving my 40 miles to work back in the early seventies while listening to him on the radio. I was laughing so hard, with tears in my eyes that I had to pull off the Interstate and park the car for fear of being in an accident. The Billy Sol Hargus character always came off well back during his live broadcasts, but is a flop in writing. This book has a few mild laughs, but is generally a waste of time. As far as his morning television broadcasts go, I miss Charles and I badly miss his deceased brother Fred, but will welcome another book of his to read. Go Don, go find another hairdresser.

[Big Mike]

Fuck Imus, and not even for the whole nappy headed hoe's thing. Fuck Imus for polluting the airwaves for 30 plus years of unfunny, boring radio. This guy looks like a werewolf that didn't finish changing over.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love contrasting this with A Prayer For Owen Meany - examining what it means to be a hand of God and realizing that zealots all through history each think that THEY are the chosen sons of God - and - they all may be just that - who knows?

[Stephen Hughes · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the unfunniest books ever written. Of course it sucks, it was written by Charles McCord...with Don Anus supervising. Gouge out your eyes with sharpened celery stalks before reading this absolutely atrocious 'comedy'. You'll thank me.

[Sky Zajd]

I couldn't get into this book...so I put it down.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highly entertaining. Who knew Don Imus could write?

[SKZingales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a satire where a man believes that he is God's son because he has no father. Thus, it must have been an immaculate conception. Very funny and a good read.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't imagine why I would have ever read a book written by such a racist jackass . . . but then again any book that ends with the main character super-glued to a cross isn't all bad.

[lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this when I used to listen to him on the radio. This is a guy's book although it does have some amusing moments...

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christopher Moore and Gore Vidal did it better. Still - worth a beach towel and mai tai - for those of you who go out in the sun anyway.

[Shaun Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, irreverent, and cynical. Definitely a laugh out loud read. Unless you take yourself too seriously, that is. Then prepare to be offended.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK. This book was trash. But it was laugh out loud funny trash and that's all there is to it.

[Bryan Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was great. Even when I wasn't reading it, I would think about a part in the book and start laughing!

[Colleen Semanek · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like this book at first and considered putting it down, but I kept going. By the end I did want to see how things were going to work out! It was better than I expected.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and irreverent

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just entertaining, especially for the irreligious.