The Back Side of God

About the Book

Harvard professor, acclaimed author and lecturer, James Robert has invented himself, severing his Appalachian roots. The phone rings; the twang of a distant cousin´s voice says that James´ father is dead. Vexed by grief he is struggling to deny, James returns to Stiller´s Cove, where cruel revelations multiply. His father´s death turns into a macabre patchwork of despair. His "family" becomes a grotesque mockery. James´ sense of Self is destroyed. Whether he can recover from this new reality is open to question, for it´s an effort that will require more of him than he is prepared to deliver.

Put another way, this is a story about a man who has created himself in a highly successful fashion, but when a part of his unacknowledged foundation is ripped away, has nothing to fall back on (ending preposition acknowledged, but important). His discovery of his unasked, unearned legitimacy is compelling.

About the Author

John Jamison is a student of human nature, with a strong background in the overlap between psychiatry and theology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University, and has studied at Harvard and the University of British Columbia. In addition, John earned a degree in the psychology of religion at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, with intense clinical training during and following his degree program. His primary post-degree work was in marriage and family counseling. John is married to his best friend Laura, and is the proud father of twin sons.