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The Abiding Gospel of Claude Dee Moran, Jr.
Claude Dee is a Scripture-quoting ex-con whose attempts to put his prison education to use, first as revivalist preacher and later, with ingeniously contrived credentials, as sheriff, become comic disasters. In league with a gullible buddy and a freckle-faced, foul-mouthed young girl named Henry, Claude Dee survives tent collapses, sexually demanding women and the vagaries of law enforcement in rural America. Claude Dee's kind heart and a daffy woman are the cause of his return to prison, a 10-year stint for unsheriff-like obstruction of law. Former college professor Farris (Ramey mines Faulkner territory for comic effect, capturing the antic behavior of colorful backwoods denizens in their earthy vernacular and unabashed grittiness.
207 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
About the author
Jack Farris
5 books2 followersBorn in Forest, Tex., Mr. Farris grew up in Arkansas and spent six years in the Navy, including service during World War II in the South Pacific. He graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., in 1949 and earned a master's degree at the University of Michigan a year later.
He taught at several colleges before joining the faculty at Southwestern, now Rhodes College, in Memphis in 1961 as a professor of English. He retired in 1984.
He taught at several colleges before joining the faculty at Southwestern, now Rhodes College, in Memphis in 1961 as a professor of English. He retired in 1984.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 14, 2024
"The Abiding Gospel of Claude Dee Moran, Jr." is probably one of my favorite books now, and it genuinely surprises me with how there's no discourse there is about it online. In my mind, it's an instant classic and a timeless piece of Americana. The way it’s written so colloquially brings the characters and setting to life in a way that feels authentic, almost like you’re hearing the story firsthand from someone you know. The dialogue feels effortless, and the humor is so well-integrated that it makes almost every page a joy to read. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a comedy, even though the premise and the interactions between characters are often absurd and hilarious. It’s more of a drama with humor, lighthearted at times, but with deeper undertones that give it weight.
This is the true gift of this novel, the way it transitions so naturally from humor to heavier, more serious themes. One minute you’re laughing, and the next, you’re hit with a poignant, thought-provoking statement that makes you pause and reflect. It’s not often that a novel can make you feel such a wide range of emotions so seamlessly, and it speaks to the author's talent for balancing levity with depth. The social commentary is sharp without feeling preachy, and the observations about life, identity, and society are conveyed with subtlety and grace. It’s a book that makes you laugh, but also challenges you to think about the human experience in a way that feels deeply personal.
Almost every sentence is unconventional in how it mirrors real speech patterns; sometimes, I found myself needing to decipher what was being said because the author would rather be real and messy than clear and polished. They quote Bible verses frequently but rarely state the actual quote, which adds another layer of realism—more especially due to the fact sometimes they are wrong which shows stuff about specific characters but this is not hand-fed to you. This approach is both refreshing and challenging, making the characters feel more authentic, as if they live by the scriptures without needing to explain them. The protagonist can also be an unreliable narrator at times, adding complexity to the storytelling and leaving readers to question what’s real and what’s distorted through his perspective.
The structure of the novel, which is split into two parts, is my only gripe. I suppose the divide could be seen as reflecting different career choices or phases of life, but the transitions feel abrupt and unnecessary. The whole book reads like a chaotic, fragmented journey, where the protagonist easily jumps from career to career and experience to experience, so physically segmenting it into parts feels unnecessary. It doesn’t add much to the narrative and might even distract from the otherwise fluid storytelling. In the second part, you notice a shift, but it's not significant enough to justify the separation. It’s as if the story was meant to flow without those artificial divisions, and the split just interrupts the natural progression.
Overall, it’s a novel that deserves far more attention and conversation. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading, lingering in your mind as you contemplate its themes. It’s a rare blend of wit and wisdom that captures something deeply human, making it a true hidden gem in contemporary American literature, filled with humor, heart, and authenticity.
This is the true gift of this novel, the way it transitions so naturally from humor to heavier, more serious themes. One minute you’re laughing, and the next, you’re hit with a poignant, thought-provoking statement that makes you pause and reflect. It’s not often that a novel can make you feel such a wide range of emotions so seamlessly, and it speaks to the author's talent for balancing levity with depth. The social commentary is sharp without feeling preachy, and the observations about life, identity, and society are conveyed with subtlety and grace. It’s a book that makes you laugh, but also challenges you to think about the human experience in a way that feels deeply personal.
Almost every sentence is unconventional in how it mirrors real speech patterns; sometimes, I found myself needing to decipher what was being said because the author would rather be real and messy than clear and polished. They quote Bible verses frequently but rarely state the actual quote, which adds another layer of realism—more especially due to the fact sometimes they are wrong which shows stuff about specific characters but this is not hand-fed to you. This approach is both refreshing and challenging, making the characters feel more authentic, as if they live by the scriptures without needing to explain them. The protagonist can also be an unreliable narrator at times, adding complexity to the storytelling and leaving readers to question what’s real and what’s distorted through his perspective.
The structure of the novel, which is split into two parts, is my only gripe. I suppose the divide could be seen as reflecting different career choices or phases of life, but the transitions feel abrupt and unnecessary. The whole book reads like a chaotic, fragmented journey, where the protagonist easily jumps from career to career and experience to experience, so physically segmenting it into parts feels unnecessary. It doesn’t add much to the narrative and might even distract from the otherwise fluid storytelling. In the second part, you notice a shift, but it's not significant enough to justify the separation. It’s as if the story was meant to flow without those artificial divisions, and the split just interrupts the natural progression.
Overall, it’s a novel that deserves far more attention and conversation. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading, lingering in your mind as you contemplate its themes. It’s a rare blend of wit and wisdom that captures something deeply human, making it a true hidden gem in contemporary American literature, filled with humor, heart, and authenticity.
April 19, 2018
Easy, light reading in the "Tobacco Road" styel. Ex-con tries his hand at revival preaching and law enforcement in the Arkansas hills in the company of a hillbilly friend and 12 year old girl named Henry. I'll have to look for this author's other 3 novels. I rather like the style. "Alone is mostly good, but there's things that want sharing."
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews