Not Cut And Dry, Like "The Song Of Bernadette!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                     My neighbor, Jennifer, knowing of my Catholic upbringing, passed this book on to me.  It took me awhile, before reading it,  to realize Jonathan Miles was the author who caused a minor literary event, back in 2008, with his debut novel, "Dear American Airlines."  It went on "The New York Times 100 Most Notable Books List" of 2008, but, girls, it did nothing for me.

                                       "Anatomy Of A Miracle" came out ten years later, and must have slipped right by.  But, I am telling you, Catholic or not, this book makes one ponder.

                                           At first, I thought it was going in a too folksy, "Field Of Dreams" type of direction, but that is soon dispelled.  Science and the media enter in,  in ways impossible during Bernadette's time.

                                             The object of all this seeming veneration is Cameron Harris, a White Trash Southern boy, former high school football player, who served time in Afghanistan, and through an accident, became paralyzed from the waist down, having spent four years in a wheelchair, when the novel begins, and being cared for by his only relative, his sister, Tanya.

                                              One day, while visiting the Biz-E Bee general store, in their town, Cameron suddenly stands up and begins walking.  Just like that.  Before he can process it, the spot in front of the store, and the store itself, has become something of a pilgrimage mecca, a Southern Lourdes.  But no one else is cured, and Cameron, unlike Bernadette, is far from saintly.  He cusses, drinks beer, has a sexual nature, and that does not sit well with some religious folk.  The miracle does not sit well with him, because he wants to understand why and how it happened, and why he was chosen.  Especially--and this was the big surprise for me, darlings--Cameron's story has gay connotations; he finally reveals himself to be gay, leaving the religious right to question his deserving such a thing, for being homosexual.   I, of course, say, why not?

                                                   Jonathan Miles does not answer any questions, but rather throws out issues for the reader to ponder, and make up themselves.  There are no heavenly visions, no miraculous springs brought forth, but this is as much a miracle story as any, Catholic or not,  I urge you to read it.  If not spiritually, it will cause one to examine matters philosophically.

                                                     The real miracle, darlings, as far as I am concerned, is that Miles actually wrote a genuinely good, absorbing book.  After "Dear American Airlines," I was ready to write him off; it took over a decade for me to be proven wrong.

                                                        So, readers, hang up your skepticism, and go into this novel with as much objectivity as can be mustered.

                                                           The reward is a satisfying work of fiction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!