At Home in RexburgHeavenly Heidi was kind enough to give me a nudge today and remind me that the time for reading the first Mitford novel by Jan Karon, At Home in Mitford, has pretty much expired, although no points will be lost if you are still trying to finish it. (Sorry. After 20 years, I'm sort of in the habit of saying things like that.)
So, by now, I'm pretty certain that I can spill a few beans that you've already become aware of on your own. Father Tim is in love with Cynthia Coppersmith, the children's author. His friend and antique dealer, Andrew Gregory, a dangerously handsome fellow of half English/half Italian heritage, hasn't got a chance with her, but that hardly matters, since all the other women in North Carolina and much of Europe seem to find him attractive. I.e., don't worry about Andrew. His turn is coming.
Unlike our Emma, Father Tim's Emma is a pain in the neck and various other anatomical parts. But her heart is in the right place and even she, in the fullness of time, will come to "represent" the best of Mitford. Read on if you want to understand that shameless pun.
You will have noticed that these novels seem to cover a year or a little more each. This means that, eventually, Dooley will have to grow up. Yes, Jenny is sweet and adorable. But she is not the one. Keep reading.
And what about Dooley's scattered siblings and alcoholic mother? In Father Tim's world, everybody is redeemable and most everybody gets redeemed. But it'll take you a couple more books to learn about all that.
What did you think of Miss Sadie's love story? Yes, we liked it, too, but, like you, we were frustrated by it. But lots of good will come from what her special beau, Willard, built before he went off to WW II and got blown away in France. Ms. Karon never states whether Willard died at Normandy, Bastogne, or some other legendarily easy place to get KIA, but Willard's "shadow" will continue to be cast over Mitford for many, many years.
I often imagine Jan Karon's writing room being wall-papered with notes reminding herself to finish some story she started in the sixth chapter of book three, or something like that. You've met most of the major characters by the end of the first book, but there are still a few more wonderful people to come. I guarantee you'll love them. Some of the characters you've already gotten to know at the church and in the shops along Main Street will be developed into very "touching" (touche'!) foils (again, sorry) as the years go by. The book store lady. The bakery lady. The barber who drinks on the job. They all have their challenges and their adventures, even if their adventures are of the small town variety. Those of us who were raised in small towns love such stories all the more for that.
What about the Man in the Attic? The shoe salesman who shouted "Are you up there?" And does the hair ever actually get ridden "off 'at ol' horse?"
Sheryl and I love these stories. We hope you will, too, and that you'll be able to squeeze them in with whichever family reading club books you choose to read. So far, everybody in the family seems to have great taste, don't you think?
I don't even know exactly what to say. I love this book so much!! I have fallen in love with everyone in the book. I love Barnabus!I want to have a dog like that. I believe that dog's make the best companions., at least as far as animals go.
ReplyDeleteDooley is such a sweet boy, yuo can just tell. He has been a victim of circumstance. That is so sad. He is trying so hard to be a good boy though. And I love how willingly the Rector took him in and has just made him his own.
The Rector, Dooley, and Barnabus are quite the little family and I sooo hope that soon that family will include Cynthia. She is sooo sweet. I hope to be like her when I am older. No, I want to be like her now. She is creative, energetic, sweet, full of faith and love. When I first started to think that the Rector was fallin gin love with her i was shocked because I thought she was like 20 something years old. I must have missed the part where they tell her age and so I just went off of the description of her. The great legs, and her fun, active personality was a little misleading. I love it.
I am very curious to learn more about the man who stopped in at the church and called out to God.
I love the sweet story of Hoppy Harper and Olivia Davenport. I don't think I could have handled her not getting a new heart. They both seem so sweet. Just like the Veterinarian and his wife. They have my dream life. I have always wanted to live on a farm with all sorts of animals. They were so good to take Dooley in for the summer. And there little baby has the most beautiful name, Rebecca Jane.
I love this book so much because I love small towns. They are so much more personal and peaceful. And though they are strong, they have more feeling and character than any big city. I do love city's, don't get me wrong. Just for visiting though.
Here is a quote from one of my favorite movies, "May the good Lord make you smart enough, to live in a small town"-Run Away Bride.
Well, I could go on and on about this book, but I will stop here. I love all of you very much and thank you so much Jim and Sheryl for choosing this book. I will be forever grateful to you for bringing it into my life.
Well, that right there should amply demonstrate to anybody who still had doubts why Heidi is so easy to love.
ReplyDeleteI am SO glad you chose this book!!! I've read it 3 or 4 times. Jane actually recommended it to me a few years ago. I loved it and went on to read the whole series. It's kind of hard to remember what happens in which book now. The whole story is so wonderful, though! I think what I love the most is that the characters are just average people. They have problems, and quirks, and they don't always agree with each other, but they love each other and help each other and try to do what is right. They also pray and have faith.
ReplyDeleteThis book is so encouraging and uplifting! I definitely suggest reading more of the series. It is so wonderful to see life in Mitford continue.
I'm so grateful that you two introduced this series of books to us. I've already finished the first two. Where to begin... I especially love Father Tim's prayer on the very first page, "Father, make me a blessing to someone today.(pg 1)" To be an instrument in God's hands; whether we are a flute a scalpel or a shovel, all are useful.
ReplyDeleteI love his way of saying things; "he loved pie with an intensity that alarmed him (pg 10)," or "I'll covet your prayers (pg 228)."
And Heidi, you say you'd like to be Cynthia Coppersmith; well to me you already are. You're still a little girl in so many ways and always will be, and I mean that as a great compliment. But what reminds me of you most is when Tim asks her(many times), "what don't you love?" I used to tease you when you were still at home that you loved everything; every new song on the radio was your favorite, every movie was the best you'd ever seen. I think that's a wonderful way to see life.
Father Tim is so human. He struggles with his "exercise and diet program. He had done so well, for so long, and then he had lost control.(pg 336)" Don't we all do that,over and over again?
One last silly observation is that there sure are alot of people who's names start with the letter E in Mitford, or there abouts. Ed Malcolm, Ed Coffey, Emma Garrett Newland, Edith Mallory, Ernestine Ivory, Esther Cunningham, Erin Donaovan, Esther Bolick, Evie Adams...I'm sure I've missed some. I noticed it early on, and started making a list. Oh well, I do love these books and look forward to reading them all. Thanks again. J5
I stayed up late to finish this book last night. Nice mellow ending. :)
ReplyDeleteLike Johanna, I noticed the author also liked letter B names for every single dog in the book. I wonder why she picks E and B names and then only for certain groups (i.e. dogs or people)? It's kind of funny and I wish I could ask her about it.
Reading this book definitely made me desire to live anywhere but the over crowded L.A. San Fernando Valley! It also made me more reflective about the small joys and sorrows that abound in each of our lives no matter where we might live. For me, my little
Ward family and Stake are kind of like a village coexisting amidst the millions, and I began really relating more to how tightly knit a group we all are in this crowded, noisy area in which we all live. I also began looking around more to try to find members in our area and have been delighted to find how many of us all shop at the same neighborhood Albertson's (our version of the Local).
I did find some parts or characters to be a bit predictable, but that, too, is again how it is in real life at times, don't you think? When everyone knows everyone, it's hard to surprise each other too much, isn't it? ha! So I guess even small doses of predictability turned out to be a small town type of boon.
I would heartily recommend these books to anyone, which I cannot say for most books I read these days. Isn't it refreshing to know there are wholesome books such as these we can recommend without worrying about what someone else might think of us for suggesting them? I find that to be quite as refreshing as these endearing books and characters.
Thanks Dad & Sheryl! Great pick!
Thanks so much for the excuse to read this book again. Not that I really need one, but you know how the books pile up beside your beds. How I love all these characters. Having spent one wonderful year in DeWitt, Arkansas, I know how true-to-life these people are. I was constantly being reminded of someone I knew in DeWitt, it was wonderful! I don't think I can add anything to the comments, everyone is so eloquent. But I am very happy to see we have so many new fans in our midst!
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