On Fire for God: Fear, Shame, Poverty, and the Making of the Christian Right—A Personal History

Journalist Hesse (Runner’s High) delivers an eye-opening account of his evangelical upbringing in Mason City, Iowa, that sheds light on a community coping with destitution, drug abuse, and spiritual despair. In evocative prose, Hesse traces the rise of the Christian right in the mid-to-late 20th century, when self-described prophet Lonnie Frisbee, for example, led “thousands of hippies into the Pacific Ocean to be baptized.” Along the way, Hesse weaves in searing personal anecdotes about his own religious trauma and draws shrewd parallels to The Music Man (whose fictional setting was inspired by Mason City), comparing silver-tongued con artist Harold Hill to the religious leaders who exploited fear and ignorance in his community as deregulation and the decline of labor unions hollowed out core Iowa industries like farming. Most powerful are Hesse’s descriptions of being made to feel borderline irredeemable at Pentecostal church camp, his shame manifesting as a demon named Caldonia whom he wrestled with well into adulthood. In the end comes acceptance, with Hesse expressing gratitude for his time in a struggling corner of the world. Readers who’ve wrestled with their faith or finding home will find this inspiring. Agent: Laura Nolan, Aevitas Creative Management. (Jan.)