Guest Post - Mark Laxer, author of The Monkey Bible

Hi folks.  Today, I have a special treat for all of you who may be interested in reading The Monkey Bible.  Author Mark Laxer sits down to talk with us for a while about some of the more controversial aspects of his "modern allegory"!

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Sex in the Bible

"There's sex in the Bible-in The Monkey Bible-and the comments I've thus far received about it has got me thinking.

"One thoughtful educator wrote this: "I'm a little concerned about how Emmanuel's sexual fantasy about Lucy, the Australopitecine, will be received (especially since it occurs on the second page and before we have a chance to feel connected with Emmanuel), as well as the one-nighter with the woman from the airline. I know that sex sells, but we wouldn't be able to recommend the book to, say, high school teachers for their students. Might there be a work-around to this?"

"To which I responded: "I hear you about the sexual references within The Monkey Bible. Some number of pastors, who have provided wonderful endorsements, privately mentioned that they were reluctant to share the book with younger folks in their flocks for similar reasons as you mention. If you will indulge me, though, the book is an honest exploration of the line separating humans from all other creatures. In writing the book, I was not thinking about markets or whom I might or might not offend. Nor was I intending to introduce sex at all. The characters, after I was some years into the writing, in a sense helped define themselves and the sexual parts surprised me...

"I've spent a great deal of time pondering what I've written and what might be edited in or out (as has my editor!!!). The writing and rewriting has taken place over the course of 10 years. Emmanuel is not a sexual monster and his desires, I feel, take up a small part of the book. He is a moral character and he loves his friends and cares for them and to my way of thinking, he's as befuddled as most people are, about sexuality. And yet, particularly as he explores his "animal nature," sexuality is something which, if he is honest about it, is an integral part of his psyche which strikes me as a good thing. Without it, of course, most life on earth would die in a generation. It seems there is a good reason--good for society and good for young people to gently explore--for the existence of desires and fantasies. If Emmanuel becomes awash in such desires, if he loses control, if he hurts people, then it would be the wrong message to share with young people but I don't feel that that is the case here.

"If you feel the book is inappropriate for certain age groups, I certainly respect that. I do wonder though, in today's society, what 13 and 14 year olds have access to on the internet and I have the sense that, frankly, what people are exposed to within The Monkey Bible is fairly tame.

"In summary, I'm not sure how to craft a work-around, nor am I convinced that a high-school version would be effective or particularly helpful...Perhaps one work-around is to suggest that the book is best targeted for college-aged people and older...?"

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Thank you, Mark, for that insight!

And Readers, if you haven't already, make sure you check out my review of The Monkey Bible here.

Book Review - The Monkey Bible, by Mark Laxer

Title:  The Monkey Bible
Author:  Mark Laxer
Genre:  Literary Fiction (?)
Rating:  3.75 out of 5 apes

The Monkey Bible promises to bridge the gap between religion and science, and to blur the line between fact and faith.  I take the journey to see if author Mark Laxer delivers.

The novel begins with Emmanuel, a young Christian man, finding proof of his father's long buried secret in the attic - Emmanuel may have been the subject of genetic research, in which his genes were combined with those of a primate.  This life-altering discovery leaves Emmanuel at a loss.  As a Christian, he has learned that humans are blessed by God.  If he is any less human, is he any less loved by the power that created him?  He then embarks upon a journey to discover his true identity.

A book like The Monkey Bible is very difficult to review, because one can never truly categorize it.  Is it science fiction?  A coming-of-age tale? A romance?  Similarly, it is difficult to classify it as simply "a novel".  There is a story and a handful of characters, of course, but this reader gets a sense that Laxer's purpose for this novel is so much greater than simple story telling.  It has been called an allegory, which is perhaps closer to the mark than "novel".  In truth, The Monkey Bible is all of these things.

At the heart of The Monkey Bible is the conflict between science and religion:  both the internal conflict of Emmanuel struggling to uncover the truth of who (or what) he is, and the larger philosophical debate that has been at the forefront of our culture for hundreds of years.  It is not a book that supports only intelligent design or only evolution, but attempts to reconcile their differences and proposes a theory that encompasses both beliefs.  Laxer takes care in defining his terms and teaching his audience about the building blocks of things like genetics, mutations, and evolution as well as the basic beliefs of Emmanuel's faith.  In this way, Laxer puts every reader on an even footing - ready to go on the journey of self-discovery with Emmanuel.

Another important message that is strongly felt in The Monkey Bible is environmentalism and wildlife conservation.  Although "going green" has become somewhat cliche in our culture, Laxer attempts to open our eyes to an entirely different problem - extinction.  We share so much of our DNA with primates, Laxer suggests, that harming our hairy cousins is no different than harming our selves and our own loved ones.

Unfortunately, all of these themes come on a bit too strong throughout the book, at the expense of the story and the characters themselves.  One can hear Laxer's voice and beliefs in every character, and there is little development or conflict between characters.  It seems that Laxer has sacrificed some of what makes novels fun to read in order to get his message accross.

With that being said, The Monkey Bible is still an enjoyable read.  Why?  Because it makes you think.  Laxer brings issues to the forefront that most people don't usually think about.  For example:  how many napkins do you take when eating at a fast food restaurant?  How many of those do you actually use? 

The Monkey Bible proves to be a worthy exploration into what it means to be human, and the responsibilities - to the planet, each other, and all living things - that we have inherited.

3.75 out of 5 apes.

Mark Laxer talks about The Monkey Bible

The Monkey Bible, a tale that explores the line between religion and science, men and apes, belief and truth, hits shelves this September.  Author Mark Laxer was recently spotted at the BEA in New York city.  This is what he had to say about his odyssey of self discovery, and his mission to protect the planet and its species.

Check out the book at Laxer's website, www.themonkeybible.com, and stay tuned for more about The Monkey Bible here at Lions and Men!