At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

The first in a very popular series, this book follows a period in the life of bachelor rector, Father Tim.

General rating: 4 out of 4 (although the cynical reader might question plausibility)

1. Is it plausible? Well, aside from feeling too good to be true, and making the unsuspecting reader forever dissatisfied with his or her town of residence... I guess it's plausible. It seems like it should be set 50 years ago, though I would like to believe that there are towns like Mitford that exist right now. Perhaps there are!

2. Is it thought provoking? Yes, it is. I thought a lot about Father Tim's efford to be GOOD and compared it to my own efforts. I thought about spending one's life in the service of others.

3. Is it engaging? Yes, but it's one of those books where a plot is slow to surface. It took me awhile to be engaged, but once I was, I definitely was.

4. Is it uplifting? Resoundingly YES. That's the most outstanding characteristic of this book. I closed the book feeling rosy about everything--all the people I know, the world in general, all religions, all animals.... It was a very feel good book. I guess that's what makes this series so very popular.

Language: none
Sex: none

My recommendation: It took me a long time to get around to reading any Mitford books. I had heard them highly recommended by so many people, but I felt unmotivated to read them. Finally my book club chose this one for one month's reading and I dutifully complied. Now I feel compelled to read the rest of the series. We'll see if it continues so delightful. I highly recommend this--a very sweet read.