In a modest barn in small-town, Wisconsin, a calf is born on Christmas Eve, and instead of the usual spots, it has the unmistakable image of Jesus Christ on its flank to which the farmer said, "Well, that's trouble." Indeed.
Harley Jackson is a quiet, unassuming man living
…more on the land and house in which he grew up. He is not a religious man, but the calf that soon becomes known as "the Jesus cow," upends his careful, unobtrusive life in ways he could never imagine as thousands of people from every state and several countries visit the calf with the unusual birthmark.
Written by Michael Perry, this novel is a profile of rural life in America with quirky characters who embrace beloved small-town values. It's also an understated, simplistic study in religion—specifically, what it means to believe in God without all the hoopla.
It's an amusing story and a fun read even though the plot's climax is totally predictable from early on in the book. (less)