Anatomy of a Miracle (Large Print / Library Binding)

Anatomy of a Miracle By Jonathan Miles Cover Image
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This amazing novel is about a paralyzed vet who gets up out of his wheelchair one day and suddenly walks. And it's about all the stories the people around him tell to make sense of that miracle, if it is a miracle at all. I'm not the first reviewer to say I've never read a book quite like this and to rank it among one of the best novels I've read in a while. It's about so many things, from religion to reality shows to real people. But it's also about STORIES—the ones we tell ourselves to make sense of this thing called life. It's not a light read, but it's not heavy either. It is literary fiction done just right, and Jonathan Miles is a master.

The Snail will be keeping it in stock if you want it.

Here's a quote from the last page, with no spoilers at all: 
" 'Thing is, you imagined him staying in that chair and he somehow imagined himself out of it. You wrote one story . . . and his body wrote another. And all these people heard that story of his and every one of them tried and failed to understand it so they rewrote it in whatever way made sense to them, whatever way consoled them, until it didn't make sense to them anymore so they had to write it another way. And maybe one of those stories was true and maybe none of them were.' "

— Lady

March 2018 Indie Next List


“A priest, a doctor, and a reality TV producer walk into a convenience store... Actually, the notable walker in this story is Cameron Harris, a paralyzed soldier who inexplicably rises from his wheelchair and starts walking in the Biz-E-Bee parking lot. Anatomy of a Miracle follows Harris and the aforementioned sundry characters in the aftermath and dissection of this reported 'miracle.' Was it science? Was it divine? Was it a hoax? Will it make for a hit TV show? Jonathan Miles' charming - and often humorous - novel explores the varying perspectives on faith, truth, and the unexpected consequences of the miraculous.”
— Lelia Nebeker, One More Page, Arlington, VA

Description


A profound new novel about a paralyzed young man's unexplainable recovery--a stunning exploration of faith, science, mystery, and the meaning of life

Rendered paraplegic after a traumatic event four years ago, Cameron Harris has been living his new existence alongside his sister, Tanya, in their battered Biloxi, Mississippi neighborhood where only half the houses made it through Katrina. One stiflingly hot August afternoon, as Cameron sits waiting for Tanya during their daily run to the Biz-E-Bee convenience store, he suddenly and inexplicably rises up and out of his wheelchair.

In the aftermath of this "miracle," Cameron finds himself a celebrity at the center of a contentious debate about what's taken place. And when scientists, journalists, and a Vatican investigator start digging, Cameron's deepest secrets--the key to his injury, to his identity, and, in some eyes, to the nature of his recovery--become increasingly endangered. Was Cameron's recovery a genuine miracle, or a medical breakthrough? And, finding himself transformed into a symbol, how can he hope to retain his humanity?

Brilliantly written as closely observed journalistic reportage and filtered through a wide lens that encompasses the vibrant characters affected by Cameron's story, Anatomy of a Miracle will be read, championed, and celebrated as a powerful story of our time, and the work of a true literary master.

About the Author


JONATHAN MILES is the author of the novels Dear American Airlines and Want Not, both New York Times Notable Books. He is a former columnist for the New York Times, has served as a Contributing Editor to magazines ranging from Details to Field & Stream, and his journalism has been frequently anthologized in Best American Sports Writing and Best American Crime Writing. He is also the author of a book on fish and game cookery, The Wild Chef, and competed in the Dakar Rally, an off-road race through Africa.


Product Details
ISBN: 9781432850197
ISBN-10: 1432850199
Large Print: Yes
Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print
Publication Date: April 4th, 2018
Language: English