This lovely novel about some good people in a quirky yet believable situation, really flipped a switch somewhere in my spiritual wasteland. Humorous and humanistic in tone as well as achingly true, the author thawed some frozen real estate in my psyche, while telling a great story that I believe will stick with the reader indefinitely. A perfect gift for your favorite atheist, agnostic or even deeply religious comrades!

When his sister tricks him into taking her guru on a trip to their childhood home, Otto Ringling, a confirmed skeptic, is not amused. Six days on the road with an enigmatic holy man who answers every question with a riddle is not what he'd planned. But in an effort to westernize his passenger—and amuse himself—he decides to show the monk some "American fun" along the way. From a chocolate factory in Hershey to a bowling alley in South Bend, from a Cubs game at Wrigley field to his family farm near Bismarck, Otto is given the remarkable opportunity to see his world—and more important, his life—through someone else's eyes. Gradually, skepticism yields to amazement as he realizes that his companion might just be the real thing.

In Roland Merullo's masterful hands, Otto tells his story with all the wonder, bemusement, and wry humor of a man who unwittingly finds what he's missing in the most unexpected place.

"A wonderful, heartfelt novel that frequently surprises as we're lulled by the sights and sounds of the open road"--Providence Journal

"A laugh-out loud novel that’s both comical and wise…balancing irreverence with insight."—The Louisville Courier-Journal

"Insightful, amusing, loving…There are lovely moments of enlightenment that are not accompanied by angels with flaming swords; rather, there is that peaceful blue sphere that is available to all of us."—The Seattle Times

"[Merullo's] gift is slipping gentle spiritual lessons into easy-reading narratives…with such effortless charm."—The Christian Science Monitor

"Enlightenment meets On the Road in this witty, insightful novel."—The Boston Sunday Globe

Roland Merullo, is the critically acclaimed author of seven books, including the Revere Beach Trilogy, three novels about growing up in a tight-knit community outside Boston, and Golfing with God, a novel about a man's unexpected spiritual journey. He lives with his wife and two daughters in eastern Massachusetts.

Publisher: Algonquin Books
Distributor: Workman Publishing Company
Publication Date: 08-26-2008
Pages: 336
Measurements: 8.18in X 5.50in X 0.98in X 0.12lb