The Testament of Gideon Mack
18 journalers for this copy...
For Gideon Mack, faithless minister, unfaithful husband and troubled soul, the existence of God, let alone the Devil, is not more credible than ghosts or fairies. Until the day he falls into a gorge and is rescued by someone who might just be Satan himself.
Mack's testament - a compelling blend of memoir, legend, history, and, quiet probably, madness - recounts one man's emotional crisis, disappearance, resurrection and death. It also transports you into an utterly mesmerising exploration of the very nature of belief.
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This book was part of the Richard and Judy's Book Club 'Galaxy British Book Awards 2007'
To be very honest I really didn't think I was going to enjoy this book at all, I didn't know what to expect at all, but, I was very surprised, I did enjoy it there were parts where I lost interest a little bit but soldiered on with it and glad I did. I think everyone will form their own opinion as to what happened to Gideon Mack when he went missing.
This book has been reserved for a Bookring, please PM me if you are interested in joining this ring
Ring Order (may change if anyone else joins with particular posting preferences)
Spartaca - post anywhere --------- posted out Friday 22nd Feb 2008
Sharonrocks - post anywhere
arugh48187 - post anywhere
wanderingstar8 - post anywhere
Brujula - post Europe
LindyLouMac - post Europe
Book now back with me, waiting on next person's address to send it on again
mrbaggins1 - post anywhere
davemurray101 - post anywhere
anythings - post anywhere (skipped)
Samrana - post anywhere
easterngirl71 - post US only
Rrrcaron - prefer USA
Lauraloo29 - post anywhere
Falmouth - post anywhere
Karen07814 - post anywhere
mafarrimond - post anywhere
elissamay - prefer US ---------------- on its way here
abigailann - uk only
then back to me 24-7-365Reader
Sent to Spartaca -first on the bookring list
Thank you to 24-7-365Reader for this book. I have been reading steadily since the end of February when it arrived in the post. It is an 'unexpected' book, and thought-provoking. The theme itself is unfashionable (religious faith/personal belief)but the author has a very modern take on it. This is the first book I've read for some time that stays in my head for long after I've put it down. I like - a lot!
PM'ing Sharonrocks for her address as I will finish it soon.
Just arrived in gloriously sunny Nottingham. Am half way through something at the moment, but this will be up next.
Thanks for sharing.
Sharon
Really enjoyed this, although I've not much clue what happened! I did love Gideon though - I really 3 dimensional character.
Will get it moving again asap.
Thanks for sharing. Sharon
Ooops... forgot to add, Gideon is now on his way to India...
This one arrived on my doorstep this afternoon. I have a few bookrings in front of it, but I am a fast reader and it shouldn't tarry long. You can keep track of its progress via my bookshelf.
It took me a while to get into this book, but about the time Gideon met Jenny and Elsie, I got hooked. I always like novels that pose themselves at non-fiction and smiled at the preface. It all seems so plausible, and yet there were discrepancies in the testament itself (um...kinda like the Bible.) When I got to the end, I really didn't know what to believe especially with Elsie's version of events and the mysterious Chae. What was up with him anyway? All in all, a good read and one I will ponder for a while I think.
Thanks for sharing. As I am the end of the line, I will be contacting 24-7-365Reader for directions (cool BC name by-the-way.)
Journal Entry
9 by
arugh48187 at
Bangalore, Karnataka, India, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Monday, September 15, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (9/15/2008 UTC) at Bangalore, Karnataka, India, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
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Mailed off to wanderingstar8 who wanted it next. Happy reading!
just arrived - looking forward to it.
Very enjoyable and readable - a couple of times I had to stop reading, late into the night, because I couldn't keep my eyes open any more! I don't think it was especially profound or thought-provoking, though - more of a nu-Gothic romp.
The book arrived safely in my mailbox yesterday!
Thank you!
I've really enjoyed this book. I had some trouble understanding some of the Scottish "accent", but it didn't keep me from reading on, and enjoying this story.
The presentation of the life of Gideon Mack is original, and many interesting philosophic questions appear through the story.
Thank you very much for sharing, and enabling me to discover this novel!
Journal Entry
14 by
Brujula at on Thursday, November 20, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (11/20/2008 UTC) at
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mailed to the next bookcrosser in this ring
Arrived today from France, thanks Brujula. Thanks for letting me join the ring 24-7-365 Reader. It will be next up to read before heading home to you in the UK.
Gideon Mack is a minister in the Scottish church, being the rebellious son of a domineering father, also a minister; it seems a strange choice of career, especially as he does not believe in God! It is a thought provoking and humorous story that has continued to haunt me since finishing it a few days ago. He leads a fairly lively ministerial life and raises money for the church by running in marathons. One day his life is changed for ever when out running he comes across a āstanding stoneā that is not actually there, only he sees it!
He decides to write the story of his life and recent strange occurrences in it; it is this manuscript that falls into the hands of a publisher. So we have Gideon Mackās story told within the story of the publishing house trying to obtain verification of Gideonās manuscript. Did Gideon really spend time with the devil or are his memoirs just the ramblings of a man on the verge of some sort of emotional breakdown?
A compelling narrative that will leave you thinking about the nature and understanding of faith and how you interpret things you cannot logically explain. It has certainly left me thinking, what more can I ask from a good novel.
My sincere apologies for taking so long to read this. Most unlike me but somehow Christmas, New Year and now an impending house move got in the way.
Journal Entry
17 by
LindyLouMac at
Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Friday, January 16, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (1/16/2009 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
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En route to 24-7-365- Reader in the UK as agreed with her. Thankyou once again for including me in the list and my apologies for the time it has taken me to read this one.
This book has now arrived back with me, it will be sent on again as soon as I get the next address. Just to say thanks for all who have taken part so far, its been good to read all the comments, which seem mostly positive.
Happy reading x
Arrived today. Going on to my TBR pile - I'll get around to it ASAP. Got two rings to finish before this.
What I really found a great advantage of Bookcrossing is that it has introduced me to books that I would otherwise not have read. āGideon Mackā is one of these, a wonderful book about a pastor that never believed in God and his meeting with the Devil. Such a improbable premise but with such good story-telling and characterization the improbable becomes believable. I highly recommended book. Thanks for sharing.
Journal Entry
21 by
mrbaggins1 at
Johannesburg, Gauteng South Africa on Thursday, March 5, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (3/5/2009 UTC) at Johannesburg, Gauteng South Africa
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Posted today to davemurray in Oz - Great book enjoy!
Just recieved in the mail today. thanks to Mrbaggins1
Just finished this one today and it was brilliant. Had all the elements of a great story, the crisis of belief, the supernatural and the great scottish characters. My only criticism would be the epilogue, which was a bit longwinded, but otherwise an excellent book. I have PMed "andthings" as "anythings" does not appear in the bookcrossing directory.
Journal Entry
24 by
davemurray101 at
Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, April 9, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (4/9/2009 UTC) at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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sent to Samrana today hope you enjoy!~
Got the book thanks, and it's next in line to be read. :-)
Lots of unexpected suprises in this book, the structure, different voices with different versions and interpretations of events, and a story which kept me on my toes. I loved the fact that there are questions remaining and I was left with a sense of mystery. This linked with my own Christian faith which was at times challenged by this book, and is all the better for it. Thanks for the chance to read it.
Sent PM to easterngirl71, so should be on it's way soon.
I got this book two days ago and let the owner know that It will take me a bit longer that usual to read it as my dad had heart surgery and I had to go to my hometown to take care of him, While I was gone my ring/ray books piled up I am getting to them as soon as I can. Just as soon as I read this one I will send it on! Thanks everyone for your understanding!
Update! I am almost done with this book! I have 148 pages left and then it will be on it's way to the next perso on the list! Thanks so much for your continuing support and patience:)
Thanks so much for letting me hold on to the book longer than I should have had it. I really appreciate your kindness and understanding! I quite enjoyed the book, but at the end seemed to me that another book should be made about Gideon Mack and his time with the Devil, after his meeting him in the cave. I wonder if James Robertson may end up making a second book for this very reason!
I received this book in the mail today. Will get to it soon.
Ruth
I really enjoyed this book. I can't believe I found myself actually enjoying the devil. After reading this, I wouldn't be afraid of meeting him myself, lol. I'd like to know how the meeting on the mountain went, after all was said and done. This book really made you think about things.... Thanks for sharing, and sending on to next reader.
Ruth
Arrived today. I have a couple of other rings, but I will keep this moving. Thank you!
I was hoping there were others, but I seem to be the only one that doesn't like this book. I can't get into it. I could plod through it but I don't want to hold it up and I have others to read. :( This book will be on its way on October 31st. Thank you for sharing!
I found the book in my mailbox this very morning. Thanks for sending it.
I have another book to read for the time being, but will start on Gideon Mack's Testamant in a couple of days.
Brilliant! A beautifully told story, very gripping. Made me wonder how I would react to my best friend if he told me about meeting the devil.
The book will travel on as soon as I have the next address.
Journal Entry
36 by
Falmouth at
in the mail in Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Friday, December 25, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (12/29/2009 UTC) at in the mail in Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany
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arrived today, one in front of it. I struggled with this for a while then realised I had read another one of his a while back, struggled with that, finished it and didn't gain much from it. In view of this I have decided to post it onwards without finishing it. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to choose though!
The book arrived safely today. I have a few to read before this but will get round to it as soon as I can.
A thought-provoking book. Stange but compelling.
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40 by
mafarrimond at
Brooklyn, New York USA on Sunday, January 31, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (2/1/2010 UTC) at Brooklyn, New York USA
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Passing onto elissamay as next in line for the ring.
Thank you for this! There's something messed up with the mail going to my school, so this took an EXTREMELY long time to get to me. I'll try to read it and get it moving ASAP.
Journal Entry
42 by
elissamay at
Brooklyn, New York USA on Saturday, July 31, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (7/30/2010 UTC) at Brooklyn, New York USA
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Really liked this once I got into it... just an absorbing novel that builds slow but is worth it. In the mail to the UK as of this morning.
Journal Entry
43 by
abigailann at
Abingdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Thanks for sending this book onto me. Am putting it in my TBR pile. Its rather longer than I would have liked, so it might take a while to get to this one, but I'll read it as soon as I can.
Journal Entry
44 by
abigailann at
Abingdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, August 19, 2010
A rather unique premise which made me want to read on and on. Wasn't sure what my opinion would be of this book, but it was extremly well-written and surprisingly easy to believe given the unusual premise.
Will be sending back to the start of the ring as soon as I have the address.
Journal Entry
45 by
abigailann at
Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, October 9, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (10/9/2010 UTC) at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
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Posting this afternoon. Apologies for taking so long to send this book on.
Journal Entry
46 by
24-7-365Reader at
Droitwich, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, October 28, 2010
Arrived home, safe and sound, thanks to all for taking part :)