Miracle Workers

A Novel

By: Simon Rich

Narrated by: Simon Rich

Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

God, bored, decides that Earth has had its day - unless two idealistic angels can make a miracle happen. 

Welcome to Heaven, Inc., the grossly mismanaged corporation in the sky. For as long as anyone can remember, the founder and CEO (known in some circles as "God") has been phoning it in. Lately, he's been spending most of his time on the golf course. And when he does show up at work, it's not to resolve wars or end famines, but to Google himself and read what humans have been blogging about him. 

When God decides to retire (to pursue his lifelong dream of opening an Asian Fusion restaurant), he also decides to destroy Earth. His employees take the news in stride, except for Craig and Eliza, two underpaid angels in the lowly Department of Miracles. Unlike their boss, Craig and Eliza love their jobs - uncapping city fire hydrants on hot days, revealing lost keys in snow banks - and they refuse to accept that Earth is going under. 

The angels manage to strike a deal with their boss. He'll call off his Armageddon if they can solve their toughest miracle yet: getting the two most socially awkward humans on the planet to fall in love. With doomsday fast approaching, and the humans ignoring every chance for happiness thrown their way, Craig and Eliza must move heaven and Earth to rescue them - and the rest of us, too.  

©2012 Simon Rich (P)2012 Hachette

Fun book!

If you could sum up What in God's Name in three words, what would they be?

This book was just fun. Fun story, fun concept, just fun to listen to.

Any additional comments?

Simon Rich is such a creative and fun writer. He has a fantastic sense of humor and can really tell a great story. This story was a joy to listen to and unlike any other book I've bought. I had tears of laughter throughout this story. Completely entertaining! Buy this book if you are looking for something unusual, light, and funny.

TV show was better and i don't usually say that

the story was good and funny. A bit short. not as funny as the TV show that was based upon it. The worst part though was the reading... Proof once again that authors (with the possible exception of Neil Gaiman) should never read their own novels.

So wryly funny

Rich is expert at taking the ridiculous and making it seem commonplace. The straightforward approach to this novel is on point and hilarious. There is a slightly anti climatic feel at the end because of the way the plot must come down to the wire in order to function, but that kind of abrupt conclusion actually fits this book well.

Don’t look for deep spiritual meaning in this book. It’s meant to be funny, and it is.

fun book

I really enjoyed this book. Funny premise and situations. Heavy on the relationship comedy like Man Seeking. A quick listen and a lot of fun.

Funniest book I've ever read

I have read this book a number of times (under its original title, "what in God's name". I've shared it with a number of people including sine of my grandkids, who also love it. I listened to it today for the first time in Audible and it didn't disappoint. Simon Rich is a fantastic writer! I love everything he's written. ❤️

Liked it more than the show

I ended up liking the book more than the show even though I watched the show first. The plot is the same but the characters’ personalities and events are appreciably different between the show and book. Having read other reviews, there’s debate over which is funnier. I found the book funnier and if you think arson is a funny solution to your problems then so will you!

The author narrates the book and he does an okay job. He reads it without much fanfare but not bad and not remarkable

Ingeniously hilarious

If you’re debating whether or not to get this book—don’t. You won’t be disappointed.

disappointing

An original idea, and some creative thought but the characters lacked any admirable qualities. The reader was a little flat, too.

Simon Rich's original novel made a better TV serie

I first experienced this story with season 1 of TBS's "Miracle Workers" and decided to give the novel a try. Simon is greatly involved in the television series and I can only conclude that he learned a lot of techniques to improve the story.

The *general* plot and story beats are largely in the novel, somewhat adequately read by the author, the changes made for the television show (which is about 95% of it) all greatly improved the story and characters.

I don't regret reading the original version, as it was an exception when a novel is adapted for television or film that comes out much better than the original.

I would give this FIFTY stars if I could!

Simon Rich’s works are always a delight, and I only bought the audiobooks he himself reads, nailing the delivery of the lines he wrote and genuinely bringing to life his characters. The author voicing God, Craig, Eliza, Vince, Sam, Laura, and Raj paints the landscape of a fantastic world where Heaven is a corporation and a bet is made upon which the fate of the world depends. I love Simon Rich’s dry, acerbic wit, the way he delivers just the right phrase in just the right moment. Sick of the news, in general, I sought comedy, and found it here in spades.