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Oh, God!

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Vintage movie tie-in paperback

149 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

35 people are currently reading
116 people want to read

About the author

Avery Corman

36 books21 followers
Avery Corman (born November 28, 1935, in the Bronx, New York) is an American novelist.

He is the author of the novel Kramer vs. Kramer (1977) which created a sea change in attitudes toward child custody with the public and in the courts in the United States and internationally. Robert Benton wrote the screenplay and directed the movie of the same name Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. It won 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screen Play. A previous Corman novel, Oh, God! (1971) was the basis for the movie comedy Oh, God!, screenplay by Larry Gelbart, starring George Burns and John Denver. His other novels include The Old Neighborhood (1980), 50 (1987), Prized Possessions (1991), The Big Hype (1992), A Perfect Divorce (2004), and The Boyfriend from Hell (2006).

In a characteristic assessment of Corman's writing, critic Stefan Kanfer said in Time magazine about the novel, 50, "Avery Corman has a literary gift for dialogue and predicament. Sealed in a time capsule, 50 could tell future generations more about contemporary middle-aged mores than a library of sociological theses."

Foreign language editions of Corman's novels have been published throughout the world. He is the author of articles and essays in a wide number of publications, including The New York Times for which he has written for various sections of the newspaper.

He turned his attention to writing for the stage and collaborated with the composer Cy Coleman on a musical, The Great Ostrovsky, for which Corman wrote the book and also co-wrote the lyrics with Mr. Coleman. It was produced in regional theater in Philadelphia in 2004, a project curtailed with the passing of Mr. Coleman that year.

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5 stars
39 (24%)
4 stars
65 (40%)
3 stars
45 (27%)
2 stars
11 (6%)
1 star
2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Robert.
4,469 reviews28 followers
October 22, 2022
A quick, amusing read - the kind that is published all to rarely anymore. You know the title and the basic plot from the John Denver/George Burns film, which uses the broad-stroke plot but most of the fine detail was altered so reading presents a mostly new - and arguably better - experience.
Profile Image for Lynn.
3,045 reviews82 followers
May 12, 2023
The story focuses on a down to earth store manager who is chosen by God to spread His message, in spite of disbelief and doubt of the media, religious experts, and his own wife. God appears in a variety of occupations to keep the store mgr. in line about what he wants. I found this is to be a warm, sometimes comical way of trying to bring God back to us humans!
Profile Image for P.S. Winn.
Author 103 books364 followers
July 22, 2017
Humorous look at what God may really be like and what he has in store for all of us.
436 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2019
The George Burns/John Denver movie was better.
Profile Image for Jennifer Tuttle.
55 reviews17 followers
May 26, 2023
This book could have been written today. I found it to be funny and important. I am so glad I read it.
1,250 reviews3 followers
January 30, 2025
Rounded up

A pleasant enough read with a 1970s sensibility. I didn't find it laugh-out-loud funny, but I appreciate its lightness, nonetheless. Today's version would be far darker.
Profile Image for Susan.
429 reviews5 followers
March 8, 2017
Humorous at points. You could definitely tell John Denver was not who Avery Corman had in mind for the movie version.
Profile Image for Luke.
14 reviews
February 28, 2008
So you remember that movie starring George Burns as the Almighty and John Denver as the grocery store clerk he talks to? Well like most decent movies, it was a book first. Turns out John Denver's character was actually a Jewish writer, not a Christian grocer. There's some other differences, too. But a great read. It's a wonderful send-up of the religious establishment, which basically denies God's existence in spite of the fact that he is selling hot dogs in New York (among other things he does for amusement). Also so intriguing dialogue with God about his role in world affairs and the beliefs that humans have.
Profile Image for Daniel.
Author 41 books87 followers
November 2, 2008
One of my favorite books and one that was not done justice in the film version (although George Burns was inspired casting). In the book the protagonist is a Jewish freelance journalist in NY, which is why God takes on the guise of old Jewish uncle. Very funny and yet it has something to say. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Morris Nelms.
487 reviews10 followers
November 24, 2012
Funny, and more profound than you'd expect. The movie did not do it justice. Movies seldom do.
Profile Image for Tok.
222 reviews83 followers
December 22, 2014
ตลกดี ส่วนหนึ่งเราว่าตลกด้วยเพราะสำนวนแปลที่ค่อนข้างโบราณด้วย 555
5 reviews
May 12, 2016
A fun read.

Not being Jewish may have dampened my enjoyment of this book. It kept my attention and I finished it in two days.
Profile Image for Coy Williams.
17 reviews1 follower
May 24, 2011
Fabulous! Although this is set in the 70's it's just as relevant today-Read it and think!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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