Appearance
At Home In Mitford (The Mitford Years #1)
The first of the Mitford series, this book takes you to a town where we all wished we lived, where there are friends wherever you look and characters aplenty! Jan Karon writes the way these North Carolina people talk, and the reader can actually "hear" them chattering away. Once you go to Mitford, you can't wait to go back, can't wait for the next book, and the next and the next! There are pages that will make you smile, laugh out loud, make you cry, too, and send you down your own memory lane because many of the people in this book are like people that you know. So, start reading about Father Tim, his nosey secretary, and his huge dog Barnabas who responds to commands so much better when they're accompanied with a Bible verse--and it doesn't matter what verse, any will do. And that's just the beginning of the list of citizens of Mitford who await you!
At Home In Mitford (The Mitford Years #1)
I'm giving this one five stars even though I did not personally care for it. Why? Because the author has rendered a magnificently-written, coherent story (albeit, a pretty unreal one) which achieves a high enough level of literary excellence that I'm compelled to call it "American Christian Literature". I believe that the writing is equivalent in quality to that of some past great American authors, say James Thurber, Lloyd C. Douglas, etc.Some people are simply tired of reading filth and trash (not me -- I LIKE filth and trash in terms of seedy characters, furtive activities and lewd language, except I'm not a fan of pornographic writing nor do I like stories where anything bad happens to kids). If you are a person who's had enough of smutty dynamics and you'd like, for a change, to read a story of fiction that is targeted for adults and yet does not contain foul language or deviant characters, then "At Home in Mitford" might just be for you.Of the various dillemmas which arise for "Father Tim," I can definitely state that I'd personally solve them all in 30 seconds without a second thought, although not in the thoughtful, concerned, sensitive way that he does *.* These are NOT monumental problems that we're talking about here... they are (from the reader's view) humorous little enigmas for the most part, but clearly important to the lives of the potentially affected characters in the book. The level of melodrama in this book definitely did not make my heart pound but that's what comes of my having worked in law enforcement for over 25 years -- I've seen it all and have pretty much gotten numb to the worst of it.So, this is a nice, charming, warm, little story which I think many life-long Christians will find some relief in. The moral lessons do not really interfere with the story and, in fact, provide more of a "covert undertone". And the good news is that this one is but the first entry of a series. Some might compare this author's literary posture with that of C.S. Lewis -- I think that Karon's work here is far superior to anything that Lewis ever published -- that's just my opinion and perhaps Lewis fans would not agree.In summary, for me, this book was as boring as a box of Quaker Oats. BUT, my tastes in fiction are hardly in line with those of regular, normal people (I loved "Fight Club"!) and I must, to be fair, award credit where I feel it is due. This work is nicely presented and I would highly recommend it for appropriate readers... those Christians (or other spiritually-oriented people) whom are seeking some really light escapism.
At Home In Mitford (The Mitford Years #1)
Jan Karon is one of my favorite authors and this first book is one of her best. One of the reasons it's so enjoyable is that she covers the whole spectrum of Mitford as she introduces you to her characters and their town. Karon is a master at characterization, plot and setting--no wonder her books can't miss! She sprinkles them liberally with humor, as she brings in some serious subjects, but is never heavy-handed. Her books are a joy to read and to re-read, which certainly cannot be said of every author.
At Home In Mitford (The Mitford Years #1)
I got this audio book CD for my mom (60) for Christmas. She has a long commute and she has really enjoyed entering the world of Mitford to pass the time. She feels like she knows the characters. She enjoyed it so much, that my dad got her the second book in the series as soon as she was done with it.
At Home In Mitford (The Mitford Years #1)
If you grew up in a small, slow moving town, or you just wish you had, this book captures that feeling. The characters are delightful and could easily be someone I have met in my lifetime. Unimporatnt mysteries all through the book involving several members of the community, making no difference in the story line just adding a bit of spice. It moved slow, was very descriptive. I could see every detail in my minds eye. This would make a wonderful Halmark Hall of Fame movie.
At Home In Mitford (The Mitford Years #1)
My Mom loved this series. She really enjoyed the book and thought it was humorous.