A spiritual commune should be a place for work, pleasure and find-ing yourself, but thanks to an assassination attempt, embezzlement and one guy's ability to be in the worst place at the best time, things aren't ever that simple. It's the early 80s, and Swami Satyam Gilligan, a simple, young Canadian formerly named John Price Jr., is out to find himself through the teachings of the Divine Bhagwan on a small, self-built commune in the Pacific Northwest. Somehow, stalwart but excitable Gilligan manages to fumble into the darker side of the com-mune's business enterprises, causing the peaceful commune to slowly erupt into all-out war with a gang of rednecks. MacLean's debut features fast pacing and enjoyable dialogue that allows the action to fly along, with nearly pitch perfect plotting lead-ing up to a satisfying ending. KIRKUS INDIES "Waking Up Gilligan is at once hilarious and evocative, sexy and sublime, silly and serious, epic and ephemeral-a hysterical parody of enlightenment that becomes itself enlightened. Richly poetic, wonderfully paced, persistent, intelligent, knowledgeable prose that remains somehow always attentive and accessible. An immensely playful novel. A working man's John Barth. A romantic's Tom Robbins. A journey to be savored and a story to be finished. Set in a well-researched and for me (a 58 year old Americanadian) nostalgic era, it has no expiry date. This book will be as interesting and relevant a hundred years from now as it is today and would've been thirty years ago when the story takes place. I feel honored to have been asked to edit it." - Christopher K. Miller "Hey J.R. I finished reading your book, and it is absolutely fantastic The darker ending gives it more depth, and your characters, & descriptions of the environment are superb. Will there be a sequel Your editor said it all...it is slyly humorous, yet with a real reverence for the spiritual quest. Bravo Bravo " ---Sharon Miller "I'm now dedicatedly reading WUG and I have to say that it is a fantastic read. How fantastic? I just dreamt of being in the commune - only the "three bitches" were spiders - I specifically remember a spider with an Australian accent. And The Doctor was there, too, I think. Anyways. Woke up at 4:15 with my mind buzzing and wanting to read more. Well done, sir Well done "-----Jeremy Corke