The Wisdom of Pelicans

By Donald W. McCullough

Book Overview

A revered Presbyterian pastor and president of the prestigious San Francisco Theological Seminary, Donald W. McCullough saw his world come crashing down when an extramarital affair that he had confessed to and repented for in private became public knowledge. Overnight he found himself a middle-aged man without a job, a marriage, or a clue about his future. In this heart-felt, deeply moving memoir, McCullough recounts his journey to healing and renewed faith. Writing with courage and absolute candor, McCullough describes the pain of hitting bottom, with nothing left to do but walk along the ocean shore, watching the pelicans. Pelicans are both survivors and clowns, at once resilient and strangely graceful-and their very presence becomes a deepening source of wonder and solace for a man who feels consigned to the margins of society. Gradually, almost unconsciously, McCullough draws on nature, family, friends, and himself to recover the hope and ultimately the faith he thought he had lost. Beautifully written, deeply felt, The Wisdom of Pelicansis a meditation on life, loss, and healing that speaks to all readers in search of meaning and inspiration. "An honest and unsparing account of a dark time and of a search for light." (Frederick Buechner)

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670031038
• ISBN13: 9780670031030
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Viking Adult
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.6" x 0.8" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Honest and frank!

McCullough writes of disappointment, failure, and the road back to a useful life. Using his own life and his study of pelicans, he brings us in close so that we might hear his heartbeat. He writes for all who know failure and loss and, as in his own life, points us back to the way of life and light.