I was quite gratified by this review of Song of George, by Jerry Scwartz, author of Pixels of Young Mueller. It’s very perceptive and it clearly conveys some of what I would like people to know about my book.

As always, thanks for stopping by my blog and feel free to make comments to your heart’s content. (:<)> jesse s. hanson

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October 29, 2010 06:55:00
Posted By Jerry Schwartz

Song of George

Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man. Jesse S. Hanson. All Things That Matter Press, 2010. 248 pp. $16.99.

I enjoyed reading Jesse Hanson’s Song of George, the story of “a guru in the prison mental ward.” Graduate students Ansel, Ozwald, and Jeff are permitted to study and record the inmates of floor 41 for two months, during which time they learn not only what life is like in a large federal correctional institution, but also of the effect that George, the “unlikely holy man,” has on his fellow inmates.

Hanson’s unorthodox approach to telling George’s story appealed to me from the beginning. Through a hodgepodge of quotes, songs, inmates’ recollections, messages of George transcribed by Ansel, and poetry, the spirituality of Hanson’s work shines as he relates his tale. I give Hanson extra points for making George a vegetarian. (How spiritual can you truly be when you are eating your fellow creatures?)

Admittedly, on several occasions, I became lost when reading this book. For instance, at one point, when the narrative switched to verse, I found myself wondering who “wrote” the poem. One of the inmates? Or was it the author stepping out from behind the curtain to assist me? My solution was to keep reading, and each time, I was rewarded. I love it when an author takes chances, and I like it even more when those risks pay off.

Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man is well written, engaging, and inspirational–four out of five stars.