2 out of 4 stars
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Rob Wyatt's book, Can I be Frank?, tells us about the daily adventures of a Catholic priest relatively new to his ministry post as he starts a mission that requires traveling from his home parish in England to a small, rural church located in central Florida, USA. Classified as 'other fiction,' I rate this book a 2 out of 4 stars. It's not so much because of the storyline but because it develops extremely slowly which makes for a laborious read. Its style and plot are more suited for a G, PG or PG13 rated movie moreso than as a casual read.
The plot helps us to explore the practical concerns of Biblical living. We witness, through the musings of the protagonist, Father Francis Gold, his continual attempt to interact with others in ways that are acceptable, good and perfect in GOD Almighty's eyes. Starting with separating from his mother for this missionary trip, on through the airports and customs offices, on through relating with new, foreign persons though presumably on the same, broad mission, on through his adjusting to living abroad, on through the politics of the institution of the church and the unignorable calls to duty that we all encounter in our daily living. We see Gold come into the revelation of the impact of every exchange between and among us, especially in small, rural towns where everyone knows everybody else and the speed of travel of news about even private events is a negative number (i.e. already heard). We also get to enjoy the interplay of the impact of the acts of those with caring, loving hearts both inside and outside of the church, as well as the 'not-so-loving' acts of those also found in both places. It is through the exhorbitant details of many of the seemingly too common activities that exasperates the reader.
However, it is those same details that makes this insightful work more suitable for a movie hit akin to Mrs. Doubtfire or The Nutty Professor. Imagine, if you will, trying to read the scene when Robin Williams(RIP) is in the restaurant trying to fulfill two obligations, one as dad and one as children's tv host. Or the scene when Eddie Murphy is on stage and his formula starts to wear out! The necessary, minute details required in order to appreciate the full scope of such scenes are simply too many for the reading audience. But for the G, PG and/or PG13 rated movie-theatre film, this is the foundational piece for
a blockbuster and one or two sequels!
Here are some characteristics of style that gives this book its authentic flavor. The reader experiences an active interplay of the British English, Standard American English, Mexican Spanish, Spanglish and Southern American English languages. The author also exposes us to unique British English terms, such as kerb and sot up, while simultaneously using clichés that work in that they serve to signify a bridge toward understanding for the characters involved. The author also takes great pains to specify the various sections of the church building and grounds, areas inside the church sanctuary, religious utensils, vestments, color coordinations with key periods in time, order of service, names and purposes of various patron saints, the hierarchy of the leadership in the Catholic church and a general idea of
its pay structure or distribution of wealth.
And here are some characteristics which show why this story is more suitable to engaging others in the movie-theatre than as a book. Gold's driving in the USA becomes a metaphor for his seemingly innate propensity to go against the grain, without even trying, and plays well into the idea of a film. The book's incongruencies lean us toward a continual episode of the classic cartoon, Mr. Magoo, which in turn reminds us of the comic scenes of the National Lampoon's series sans the nuclear family. The author's incongruencies initially present Gold as a Momma's boy but after he's in the States, we do not hear from her again until well into the story. Similarly, the author would have us believe that one of the elderly, male characters in the book had never drunk any tea (unless is using hidden language) until Gold made it for him. Likewise, we are expected to believe that Gold, though it is indicated that he's held an interest in ministry from an early age, has never had any encounter with women's or females' breasts for pleasure sake. It's precisely this type of bumbling naïvité that exasperates the reader but would amuse the theatre goer.
In summary, Rob Wyatt's Can I be Frank? propounds how Gold's willingness, along with some caring characters that he picks up along the way, to obey GOD Almighty's Call on his life suffices for magnificent accomplishments. Though an excellent, casual read for someone contemplating serving in the ministry, it's better suited as a movie-theatre film. The entire story can be summed up as an exposition of the following phrase: GOD Almighty doesn't Call the equipped, He Equips the Called. The author humoursly suggests this concept to us in ways similar to profound comedies such as Robin Williams' Mrs. Doubtfire or any of the episodes of Lucille Ball's I Love Lucy. The very title of the book, along with his pet peeve regarding his name, cues us in right away on the story-teller's intended comedic approach!
And finally, my favorate sentence of the whole book, out of its entire seventy chapters, is a section of Gold's prayer to GOD Almighty that reads as follows: "I suppose it's a bit much to ask for a sign about the sign?"
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Can I Be Frank?
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