Author Jan Karon was born Janice Meredith Wilson in 1937 in Lenoir NC. She retired from a career in advertising and moved to Blowing Rock NC to write. She is the author of the bestselling series of novels featuring Father Tim Kavanagh, an Episcopal priest, and the village of Mitford set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. In At Home in Mitford Father Tim is approaching age 60 and is the bachelor rector of Lord's Chapel, noted for its Norman tower and showy gardens. This is the second Lord's chapel in Mitford; the first burned down many years ago and Miss Sadie Baxter, age 86, wants to build a nursing home on the site. Other people and/or things Father Tim deals with in the course of his ministry include: *Barnabas, a large black dog who sits when Scripture is recited and who is dognapped; *Emma Garrett, the part-time church secretary, who is falling in love with Harold Newland, the Baptist mail carrier; *Harry Nelson, the senior church warden, who thinks the painting of mother and child donated to the church by Miss Sadie is a Vermeer; *Hal Owen, the veterinarian, and his wife Marge, age 50, who are expecting a child; *Miss Rose, a schizophrenic, and her husband, Uncle Billy Watson, an artist, who live poorly in the mansion built by her late brother, Willard Porter; *Dr. Walter "Hoppy" Harper, whose wife died of cancer and who diagnoses Father Tim's diabetes; *Andrew Gregory, a widower and the proprietor of Oxford Antique Shop; *Russell Jacks, a widower and the sexton of Lord's Chapel; *Dooley Barlow, age 11, grandson of Russell Jacks and oldest of five children of an alcoholic mother; *Puny Bradshaw, household help at Father Tim's rectory every Wednesday and Friday morning; *Esther Cunningham, mayor of Mitford, and her husband, Ray, who have several daughters and 23 grandchildren; *Olivia Davenport, a new resident of Mitford, who has viral myocarditis; *Cynthia Coppersmith, new next door neighbor of Father Tim's rectory, the writer/illustrator of the Violet series of children's books; *Rodney Underwood, police chief of Mitford and deacon at First Baptist; *J.C. Hogan, editor of The Mitford Muse; *Samuel K. "Homeless" Hobbes, a former advertising account man and drunk who has been sober for nine years and lives in a ramshackle house near a derelict bridge over Little Mitford Creek; *Pete Jamison, a stranger kneeling in the nave of Lord's Chapel yelling at God; *Joe Joe Guthrie, a police officer, the mayor's first grandchild; *Absalom Greer, age 86, country preacher, general store keeper; *Lottie Miller, Absalom Greer's widowed sister; *George Gaynor, a jewel thief living/hiding in the bell tower of Lord's Chapel; *Ron Malcolm, head of the nursing home building committee; *Louella, black companion of Miss Sadie, daughter of China Mae and "Soot" Tobin; *Esther Bolick, baker of delicious orange marmalade cakes; *Stuart Cullen, Episcopal bishop, and his wife of ten years, Martha.Read full review
The book was in very good condition and I really love her books about Father Tim. However, I was not aware it was a discarded library book. It was stamped, had the library shelf book number, the jacket protection. I wanted for my collection of Jan Karon books. I will donate it and hope to find another book without all the public library stuff on it.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I found this book delightful!! I have recommended it to all my friends. It was recommended to me when I moved from Los Angeles to a small town in the Midwest. It took a long time to get around to reading it and when I did I was well ingrained in the life of my own small town. I could so relate to life in Mitford. It is a wonderful book with which to settle down with a cup of tea and prepare to smile and laugh and cry a little, too. We meet Father Tim in this first book of the Mitford series and grow to love him; and his flock. They are a colorful and varied group ranging from a small boy who comes to live with Father Tim to the matriarch of the town who is as down to earth as anyone. We also meet Miss Cynthia who will change this bachelor pastor's life in unexpected ways. And of course I can't leave out Barnabas, whom Father Tim didn't want to keep, but grew to love.Read full review
This book was a replacement for my favorite paperback. I love, love, love Jan Karons' Mitford Series and all of her books. They are about people you would like to really know and can relate to. What a wonderful writer!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Read years ago. Wanted a hard back copy to keep. Very good reading. Have recommended this book to many people. I still do. I loaned my paperback copy out last week. The characters begin to feel like friends and family. Much pleasure.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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