The Son of Laughter by Frederick BuechnerMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
This was my first book by Frederick Buechner, and boy was I thrown. He retells the story of Jacob, the son of Isaac (which means Laughter). But the retelling is deliberately jarring to refined, modern ears. He tries to put us in the ancient world with lots of crude descriptions of various practices surrounding sex and religion, which were often commingled then. This can be quite off putting to most readers.
But if you stick with it there are some nuggets of bronze to be gleaned. Hearing and heeding the voice of God, against all odds. (Perhaps some Karl Barth-like themes, here.) Being faced with hard, pressing life events, and still believing what the Fear (the God of Isaac) tells you instead.
Can’t really recommend to the average reader, but if you’re doing a study of Isaac, Jacob or Joseph, it may be useful for a different take on their life.
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