# Novel discussion thread: James Morrow's TOWING JEHOVAH, et al (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069 "2007-05-30T15:02:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/1 "2007-05-30T15:02:51Z")
Hey, remember when I said I was going to start a discussion of a different novel or author each week, then totally bailed? No, of course, you don’t. How can you recall something that never happened. I’d never bail like that. It must have been that smug whoreson **Fabulous Creature**. Anywhistle … if anyone’s interested, I’d like to discuss [James Morrow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Morrow) and his Godhead trilogy. Morrow, for the uninitiated, is a sf/fantasy satirist who addresses quite a few theological issues in his work. In the 90s he published a four books so provocative that I’d be unsurprised to discover Pat Robertson declarng a fatwa against him. The books in question are [Towing Jehovah](http://www.amazon.com/Towing-Jehovah-Harvest-James-Morrow/dp/0156002108/ref=pd_sim_b_2/104-7687272-9020718?ie=UTF8&qid=1180536093&sr=1-7) God has died, the angels are dying, and the Vatican has an assignment for disgraced oil tanker captain Anthony van Horne: towing the two-mile-long _Corpus Dei_ to an icy tomb in the Arctic. [Blameless in Abaddon](http://www.amazon.com/Blameless-Abaddon-James-Morrow/dp/0156005050/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/104-7687272-9020718?ie=UTF8&qid=1180536093&sr=1-7): After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, failing to be healed by the power of God’s body (which is in fact comatose, not dead), and losing his wife to a car accident, Pennsylvania justice of the peace Martin Candle decides to put God on trial with an eye to pulling the plug on the Corpus Dei’s life support. [The Eternal Footman](http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Footman-James-Morrow/dp/015601081X/ref=pd_sim_b_1/104-7687272-9020718?ie=UTF8&qid=1180536093&sr=1-7) The divine skull is orbiting Earth. [Only Begotten Daughter](http://www.amazon.com/Only-Begotten-Daughter-Harvest-Book/dp/0156002434/ref=sr_1_7/104-7687272-9020718?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180536093&sr=1-7) A celibate Jewish lighthouse keeper earning extra money as a sperm donor finds himself, through miraculous inverse parthenogenesis, the earthly father of God’s daughter. The first three books are part of a series; the fourth is in a different continuity. I’ll hold off on discussion questions until I see if anybody wants to talk about Mr. Morrow. ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/2 "2007-05-30T15:19:47Z")
I’ve only read the first two books. Loved both of them. Felt that he held back a bit in Blameless in Abbadon (especially at the end). Being uninitiated with theodicies back then, I thought the 2nd book was a bit eye-opening. Now, I find the ideas presented positively quaint and lacking in nuance. An enjoyable read, all the same. I especially enjoy the puns that come out of nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/3 "2007-05-30T15:25:51Z")
[QUOTE=Anduril] I’ve only read the first two books. Loved both of them. Felt that he held back a bit in Blameless in Abbadon (especially at the end). Being uninitiated with theodicies back then, I thought the 2nd book was a bit eye-opening. Now, I find the ideas presented positively quaint and lacking in nuance. An enjoyable read, all the same. I especially enjoy the puns that come out of nowhere. [/QUOTE] In what way do you feel Morrow held back in BiA? ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/4 "2007-05-30T16:47:41Z")
He could have fleshed out the attack on the ontological defense better. The defense’s response re: Paradise wasn’t challenged at all when it COULD be effectively challenged. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/5 "2007-05-30T20:38:12Z")
One of my favorite authors when I was in college, and still had a big chip on my shoulder about religion. I haven’t read anything of his in years, though. I wonder how I’d feel about it now? ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/6 "2007-05-30T20:50:28Z")
The most recent I read of him is “The Last Witchfinder” which read more like a biographical fiction. Haven’t lost his touch. Seemed to have mellowed a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/7 "2007-05-30T20:53:58Z")
Read **Towing Jehovah** some time back. Don’t recall it enough to discuss. Was planning to go to the library tonight. Maybe I’ll check out the M’s. (What would the appropriate way to write plural M without abusing an apostrophe? I tried Ms, but appearing at the end of the sentence it appeared as tho I was going to check out the “Ms.”.) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/8 "2007-05-30T20:55:33Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Read **Towing Jehovah** some time back. Don’t recall it enough to discuss. Was planning to go to the library tonight. Maybe I’ll check out the M’s. (What would the appropriate way to write plural M without abusing an apostrophe? I tried Ms, but appearing at the end of the sentence it appeared as tho I was going to check out the “Ms.”.) [/QUOTE] I believe the apostrophe is optional, in that situation. Either way is correct. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/9 "2007-05-31T00:16:31Z")
I’ve read all four. I love Jim Morrow’s work, but the books do decline as you read them chronologically. **Only Begotton Daughter** is great; **Towing Jehovah** is marginally less good; **Blameless in Abbedon** is OK; and **The Eternal Footman** is only fair. I haven’t read him since he stopped sending me free copies, I’m afraid. Though even fair Morrow is filled with great moments. I’d also suggest looking for his **This is the Way the World Ends**. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/10 "2007-05-31T00:54:58Z")
Well, they were all checked out, so I had to settle with **The Last Witchfinder** from 2006. Do carry on, and I’ll see if I can follow along. )Man, today was the last day of HS and finals start tomorrow. What a social scene at the library! I wonder how many parents think thir kids are getting any studying done?) ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/11 "2007-05-31T01:20:31Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Read **Towing Jehovah** some time back. Don’t recall it enough to discuss. [/QUOTE] Same here, though it’s on my bookshelf. I liked it well enough to keep it, but not enough to reread it. Let me see if I can get into it again. I haven’t read any of the others. ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novel-discussion-thread-james-morrows-towing-jehovah-et-al-open-spoilers/406069/12 "2007-05-31T12:43:21Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Read **Towing Jehovah** some time back. Don’t recall it enough to discuss. Was planning to go to the library tonight. Maybe I’ll check out the M’s. [/QUOTE] I reread that a few months back. As a former Catholic, I was a bit taken aback by the literal deophagia. It was so sacrilegious to my former Catholic sensibilities, I really enjoyed it. 😃