This story is written by a retired psychiatrist who ‘<i>uses the intersection of psychology, religion, mythology, and magical realism to explore the human condition’</i>, which made for a very different, and very interesting glimpse into how others find themselves questioning how they live their lives compared to those who live average lives.

When Josh and Nick end up in the county psychiatric facility around the same time, they share their stories of how they ended up there. Josh ran away after having sex with a male cousin, and Nick somehow managed to get caught in someone’s chimney.

An interesting, sometimes harrowing, glimpse into the lives of those who live on the edge of reality.

Pub Date: 01 Dec 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Mindbuck Media / Nat 1 Publishing

I’m not sure what to say about this book. While the story line was intriguing- a Jesus figure and a Santa figure together on a psychiatric unit- the story was slow developing and never fully gelled for me. In spite of this it was both humorous and thought-provoking.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book.

This book was unique and i enjoyed reading it. I don't believe I've ever read this concept before and it was interesting. I do want to read it again and focus on the folklore aspects more. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Schizophrenic patients often say they are Jesus or Santa Claus. Adam Strassberg says in an afterword that he never worked in a hospital where a "Jesus" and a "Santa" met, but he wondered what might happen if they did...and what if their identification with Jesus or Santa allowed them to embody even a small part of their powers?

So here Josh N. and Nick K. find themselves in the county psychiatric facility at the same time. Josh ran away from a strict Hasidic Jewish family after a homosexual encounter with a cousin at the mikvah. Nick was caught in someone's chimney, stoned on cocaine and unwilling to explain that, in order to avoid a run-in with human traffickers, he was delivering gold bullion to three sisters to buy them out of latter-day slavery to the creeps who brought them to--is this America? The county sounds like upstate New York or maybe New England, but the city where Josh has been a homeless street preacher and Nick has been a businessman also seems to be within walking distance of the places where Jesus lived. The whole story is surreal anyway. When men want to be Jesus and Santa Claus enough to live like them, their story probably has to be surreal.

At dinner Josh blesses water that seems to turn into wine. In occupational therapy Nick makes toys for everyone out of felt and popsicle sticks. During outdoor time Josh seems to know how each of a series of other patients' situations fits a Beatitude. Nick hands out sweet treats and toys--did he bribe an attendant to bring them in, or do they magiically appear in his red robe? And so on. They get the original stories of Jesus, Santa, and Saint Nicholas all mixed up, but they're so sincere...

This book is a nice reminder of how the real stories go and what the winter holidays really mean to those who celebrate them.