Book recommendation: SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN

[Guest bighugbearphx]

As a GenX gay man who is an avid reader, as well as a product of 12 years of Catholic education, I was floored by the newly-released first novel by a former Marist teaching brother, Salvatore Sapienza. "Seventy Times Seven" (refers to a bible passage about forgiveness) is about a 27 year old gay man from Brooklyn who felt a vocation to be a teaching brother, had no problems with the vows that required (including chastity, which he defined a bit more broadly than most), but he increasingly felt that he couldn't live his life there as a gay man. It is an intelligent, poignant, very sexy, amusing, romantic and entertaining tale for all, which also brilliantly illustrates and analyzes some of the dilemmas facing the Catholic Church (and religions in general) trying to be relevant and supportive in today's world.

 

In gay bookstores or online (Southern Tier publisher price is $15.95, cheapest I've seen it is $10.37 on Amazon). Check it out.

 

http://www.70x7book.com/

[edjames]

Only 12 years in the catholic educational system? Novice! Ha!

 

I spent 16 years under the influence of the Sisters of Charity, the Marist Brothers and the Vincentian Fathers. Each group left a lasting impression and it probably accounts for alot of my adult behavior, or lack thereof!

 

A fellow elementary school classmate became a Pulitzer winning playwright and wrote last seasons Tony Award winning play "Doubt" which was loosely based on some of the Sisters of Charity that he and I had in elementary school.

 

Thanks for the post. I look forward to reading this book.

 

EdJ