St. Nick and the Cane of Power
Who is the real St. Nicholas (a.k.a. “Santa Claus”)? Is he a religious leader? He served as a bishop during the 4th Century A.D. Is he a pitch-man? Merchandisers rely on him and the season he represents to magically transform the color red to black. Is he the god-like uncle whom nice little boys and girls depend on to reap goodies through his annual largesse? The answer is: All of them and many more, since St. Nick is a commodity firmly ensconced in the Western cultural landscape. However, in comedian/author Phil Snyder’s new fantasy/humor novel, "St. Nick and the Cane of Power," Nick is clearly God’s man, as well as his own.
“I’m one of those many people who have found themselves ambivalent about St. Nick, and the mixed signals his portrayal in the media sends to our children,” Snyder explains. “On the one hand, he is seen as jolly and generous—good traits. On the other hand, he’s so commercialized, selling everything from electric razors—which he obviously doesn’t use himself—to childhood obesity-inducing sodas.” Snyder continues, “If I had a third hand, I’d also mention that he tends to usurp Christ’s centrality as the reason for the season.”
Snyder’s solution to this conundrum is "St. Nick and the Cane of Power," in which he melds the historical bishop with the modern cultural icon, reinventing and rehabilitating him into a spiritual superhero. Nick battles the dark anti-Christmas forces of toy magnate, D.B. Weebee, delivers the goodies to kids around the world, and still manages to maintain a wry sense of humor about it all.
The tome is available at http://www.amazon.com/
Photo:
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