A HANDBOOK OF AMERICAN PRAYER

This dark, satirical novel from the legendary writer Lucius Shepard explores the holy trinity of religion, fame, and money. Re-released by Concord Free Press with an introduction by Russell Banks, A Handbook of American Prayer examines the power of prayer in a way no minister ever expected.

Wardlin Stuart, ex-bartender and murderer, stumbles across a way of praying that actually works. Calling it prayerstyle, Stuart becomes a cult hero with millions of followers. But he can't bring himself to take advantage of his newfound fame and riches-or escape them. Then the mysterious Lord of Loneliness creeps in with plans of his own. Resonating with the best of Nathanael West, Herman Melville, and David Foster Wallace, A Handbook of American Prayer is a profound, moving novel lit by the sputtering spotlight of fame. Lucius Shepard is the author of dozens of novels, short-story collections, and other works crossing an impressive range of genres, from fantasy to horror to mainstream thrillers. Popular in Europe, Shepard received the prestigious Gran Prix de L'Imaginaire in France. He published his first short story in 1983, and his first novel, Green Eyes, in 1984. In 1985, he was awarded the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, the first of many accolades to follow: World Fantasy Awards for The Jaguar Hunter (1987) and The Ends of the Earth (1991); the Best Novella Nebula Award for the story "R&R"; the Hugo Award for the novella "Barnacle Bill the Spacer"; the Rhysling Award for the poem "White Trains"; the Shirley Jackson Award for the novella "Vacancy"; and the Locus Award for Best Novella for "Radiant Green Star."