Miracle Workers: A Novel

This book had me laughing out loud. Great story and a fast read.

The best thing about "What in God's Name: a Novel" is the struggle between free will and predestination done with such a light touch I almost missed it. Humans like to believe that things are pre-ordained, that you got sick on Sept 11, 2001 and missed your plane because you weren't meant to die that day. And yet there is still that decision - maybe I'm not that sick...that makes the whole thing live and unpredictable. This is the basic tension in the plot involving two human schleps, Laurie and Sam who can't seem to have a date, requiring the angels to move mountains to make it happen before the appointed moment that God will destroy Earth unless the schleps kiss.God himself reminded me of a less intense version of George W. Bush. Clueless, privileged, destructively powerful, he doesn't care much about humanity or Earth for that matter. In fact, he is much more excited about opening the Asian fusion restaurant the day after the end of the Earth than he ever was about human beings. He is kind of sweet and even fun but his limitations also impact the novel because he can't make too much of an impact on the action or his vague and out-of-touch persona would be hard to maintain. As a result the novel becomes a sketch comedy that can barely sustain itself for it's short span.To call the novel a satire is pushing it. Yes, God is the out-of-touch CEO of a pointless corporation but not too much is made of that fact. It seems like a send up of Google and that company is actually mentioned making the send up rather obvious. The bigger point that could have been made, is that nothing escapes capitalism's grasp but that isn't even addressed. This is a novel of small ambition in that regard but as a light, fun, engaging read, the book works. And given that we are talking about "God" here, that is no small feat.

Hi,This book had all the right pieces in all the right places. The dialogue was witty and sincere. The characters were hilarious and the various sub plots felt natural and easy to follow. I could imagine anyone with eclectic tastes would find this a refreshing happy ever after story. It is definitely not for someone searching for action sequences or intense philosophical discussions. It’s a “what you see is what you get” kind of story. The plot starts by following two angels trying to stop the destruction of earth and ends with a more surreal ending that satisfies the romantic at heart and the eternal cynic we all have inside.Thanks for you time,FV

Have you ever wondered what God is thinking? How about the criteria for getting into Heaven? These answers are provided to you with wicked humor in Simon Rich's enjoyable and fast-paced book. I have to admit that this is one of the books where I think, "why didn't I think of this idea?". Alas, I did not, so I give Rich all the credit he deserves for transforming a potentially simple and silly premise into a rich comedic story that is built upon a scaffolding of truth.The story centers around Craig and Eliza, two Angels working for God at Heaven, Inc. They find themselves in a situation where they have one month to save the Earth from God's wrath by performing a miracle of their choosing. As we follow their quest, Rich sprinkles the story with funny anecdotes demonstrating just how silly human beings can be. What do we pray for? How are these prayers prioritized? How might one's prayer adversely affect another? Again, it seems a simple premise but there are some uncomfortable truths beneath it.I finished this book in a day, and it was a really nice break. It is a fun read that had me laughing out loud at some points, it also made me consider What in God's Name we do here on Earth. And it also reveals God's favorite band, which I have always wanted to know. All in all, this is a highly recommended fast read to take your mind off your worries for a little while.

This book's premise was promising, and it delivered in that area. The problem for me was the double 'romance' angle as the basis for the plot (the humans and the angels). You could see the 'surprise' ending coming from early on. Still, it was a worthwhile read.

Not the best book I've ever read, but enjoyable. Easy to pick up and put down, at times laugh-out-loud, and generally clever. I find with Simon Rich that some of the jokes land and some don't, but the ones that don't are easy to gloss over, and the ones that do are worth it. In general he's worth reading, and this book is no exception.

This was a fun read. I had the reoccurring thought that the author has to be a Douglas Adams fan. So, if you are a Douglas Adams fan, I think you will enjoy this book too

I love that in an almost tongue in cheek way the book implies that heaven and God are just as flawed and imperfect as Earth is. Watching Craig and Eliza work together trying to bring about Sam and Laura's miracle together while also dealing with very similar circumstances... Added all much extra layers.

This is an easy read that invites you to reflect from time to time on the meaning of the universe. Or maybe you will just revel in the mediocrity of life for a few hours. Either way, it's a fun read. Less dramatic than the miniseries, but in my opinion better. It doesn't drag on and the story has a better conclusion.

This seems to be the same book as "what in god's name" under a different title? It has the same "blurb" on some countries amazon pages but not others. If so, it is entirely unacceptable for both the publisher and Amazon to do this without making it clear. It is very confusing and misleading (people could end up buying both).

I have watched the series, and I liked it a lot. The story here is a little different than in the series, and I guess I like it more for that reason. Less drama compared to the series, but no compromise on the comedy.Loved the criteria for getting into heaven. Unfortunately, I won't go to heaven. But the reason for the criteria is more hilarious (also very reasonable)A light and pleasant read.

I was fortunate to meet Simon Rich at the Edinburgh Book Festival, where he delivered a session followed by book signing. It is the kind of book I would have probably walked past on the book shelf, but during his session, he came across as a very intelligent comedy writer, and his book sounded fun. He took some inspiration apparently from watching the Simpsons, don't let that put you off. The premise of that association was that in the Simpsons, Homer is the last person you would want to put in charge of a nuclear power plant. This book plays to a similar theme, what would it be like if our idea of God and heaven was way off the mark, and in fact God was perhaps more like an incompetent CEO than the God many people believe in.The book follows two angels who work in the miracles dept. God has his mind set on retirement because he feels earth, and Humans in particular, were a mistake that doesn't work, but is convinced into allowing the two angels to demonstrate that their work actually does have an impact. All they have to do is prove a miracle changed someones life. They sort through a list of unanswered prayers that have been filed away and find two people who have prayed to spend the rest of their lives with each. The angels think that should be fairly easy, two people who want to be with each other for ever, what could possibly go wrong.....It is a short, easy read, with some great funny moments throughout. If you've ever worked in a corporate environment, you will cringe at times at the irony of some of the story. It isn't an all time classic, but as entertaining reads go, you could do a lot worse. Whatever happens, if the real way to get into heaven is as Simon describes it in the book, I hope everyone can achieve seven. I'm glad I spent my money and bought the book, and I hope we will see more from Simon Rich in the future.

Funny and entertaining read.