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The Second Greatest Story Ever Told

 
 
The Second Greatest Story Ever Told
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The Second Greatest Story Ever Told

The world has problems! And no one knows that better than God. (He sees everything, remember?) He decides it's time for that ultimate wake-up call. Only this go-round, the Big Man is giving his Daughter a shot. Her name is Ilona. She's 18, lives in the East Village, listens to alternative music, dates, drinks, and has no problem telling the Pope and the President that they better get their act together...pronto! But like every Savior, Ilona has a deadline. She needs to get her message (the 11th commandment: "Be Kind") across now. And what better way than through the media. She becomes a sensation, promoting her word on various talk shows, and from her vantage point on the cover of every magazine. Ilona is the new "It" girl, the messiah for the X-Generation: cool, quirky, and sexy. And as Jesus Christ's kid sister, she's not about to take any crap from the men who've been running the show. As with her Brother before her, there are the doubters amongst us. People who feel that God has no right rewriting the Bible and that Ilona is the black sheep of the Holy Family. But God is not about to stand by and watch as his little girl is "crucified." He's had enough of the hypocrisy, and takes out a little revenge on those who refuse to believe...opening the door for Ilona to work her divine magic. THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD is a comic gem of a tale, reminiscent of the work of Nick Hornby, Tom Perrotta, and Kurt Vonnegut, which the New York Times called "an irreverent look at the Second Coming" while the Los Angeles Times said it was "a very very funny book." Hip, enchanting and life affirming, like a female "The Catcher in the Rye," THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD tackles all the big issues: Good, Evil, and Rock 'n' Roll.

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Product Details:
Author: Gorman Bechard
Paperback: 302 pages
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Publication Date: April 01, 2008
Language: English
ISBN: 1419690116
Package Length: 8.1 inches
Package Width: 5.4 inches
Package Height: 0.7 inches
Package Weight: 0.9 pounds
Average Customer Rating: based on 40 reviews
 
 

Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Review:4.5 ( 40 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

5Second Greatest... Shoots High, Hits Mark  Jan 07, 1998
By PiscesBoy@aol.com
In Bechard's first book (as well as in the similar follow-up, Balls), he turns our understanding of gender politics upside-down. By placing women in positions previously unfamilar to us and them, he has created an often funny (and sad) look at the world we live in. Ilona, the daughter of God, is the most refreshing character in recent fiction memory; only the most jaded person would not root for her. This breezy satire never fails to make the reader laugh, think and, more importantly, feel. Although difficult to locate because of its "out of stock indefinitely" status, this is one book that is well worth the extra effort to find. Bravo, Mr. Bechard. I impatiently await your next novel.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:

5The BIBLE as it should be!  Nov 19, 2002

The most charming book you're ever likely to read. I found myself laughing out loud, yet crying in spots. I love Ilona. I want her as my savior...that would get this ex-Catholic back to church. It's the sort of book you almost wish you hadn't read yet, so you can discover it all over again, and re-experience the joy of reading it for the first time. Find this book! Savor it! I mean, really, the world savior as a Replacements fan. Can it get any better than that?

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

5One of my all time favorites  Jun 22, 2004
By L. Rathbun "lucretia_71"
My old roommate gave this to me to read. She said she reread it every year, and after reading it in all of 2 days, I can see why. I was laughing and crying and wishing that it were a true story. Coming from someone who has no use for any religion, let alone Christianity, this book would bring me get me to church in a heartbeat. I hear people speaking about how they love Jesus, well if Ilona were my savior, I could honestly say I would love her just as much. This was positively a wonderful book that I recommend to everyone.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

5Hindsight is 20/20  Jan 04, 2001

I received this book as a gift many moons ago, when I lived in New Haven. It is one of my absolute favorites. Hopefully some day soon I can purchase copies to share with others. If only I had known then...... Patiently waiting for the movie.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

5Theology, Satire, and Likeable Characters: A Good Combo  Mar 30, 2000
By M. Harris
THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD ever told reflects the religious sensibilities of its author and of a lot of Americans, and I found it to resound well with my own moral framework. At the same time, it is a well-written, amusing satire of American society's reaction to celebrity, one that has a certain timelessness to it; I was surprised to discover when it was originally published, for it has the feel of being set in the present; the timelessness is the sign of a good author.

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