FATHER JOE: THE MAN WHO SAVED MY SOUL by Tony Hendra
At the age of fourteen, Tony Hendra was caught having an affair with a married woman. It was shortly after this event that he decided he wanted to become a Benedictine monk. Decades later, looking back on a successful career which includes stage appearances with Cambridge Footlights (where Monty Python’s John Cleese and Graham Chapman got their start), writing credits with National Lampoon, and films such as This Is Spinal Tap, the British comedian recounts his spiritual history and honors the life of the most influential friend in his life: Father Joe.
As Lily’s husband dragged him up to the Benedictine Abbey to confess his sins, Tony could not have predicted the significant impact that this first meeting with Father Joe would have on his life. Although Hendra eventually moved away from a monastic vocation–and even from the Catholic Church–his spiritual advisor remained a rock in his life, helping him through the challenges of marriage, divorce, miscarriage, and substance abuse, as well as sharing the joys of his family and his love of writing. Candid and inspirational, the comedian’s memoir recounts his colorful life with the wit and humor that is characteristic of his writing and pays tribute to the man he holds responsible for securing his salvation.
Susan the Librarian 