Home to Holly Springs: The First of the Father Tim Novels

I read these books some 20 years ago and enjoyed this series immensely. I donated the books to my church when I left the area. Kindle. What a marvel! I found Mitford waiting where I had left it and slid back into its comfort like a pair of favorite slippers. This book, so far, is my favorite. So many answers. I'm A Virgo and like my ends tucked up neatly. So satisfying. Peaceful. Need I say ' inspirational'. Well done Jan.

Good book, good condition as advertised. Took 19 days to get to Austin, Texas from Ohio. Good Grief!!

In my opinion, this is Jan Karon's best. I'm not a Christian and advertising a book as a Christian novel would not attract me as a buyer. But Father Tim is such a wonderful character, I've utterly fallen in love with him. So much of the time during my read, I got utterly lost in the story. I was never bored or disconnected.I'm not comparing it to fine literature, such as Ian McEwan's books, or Philip Roth, ect. That would be unfair. The Father Tim books are about relaxing, feeling the love and basking in the sense that, ultimately, it's all right, whatever it is. That's not a fashionable viewpoint these days. Storytelling is rife with happy foreboding, despair, disassociation/affectation, and so on. When I was younger I was up for all that drama, the hardship, the tragedy. But as I've gotten older (early 50's) I have really gotten over the desire for grit and "truth." Really, to paraphrase Shakespeare, what is truth, but what our thinking makes it? Regrettably, any of the major literary writers would risk their good reputations were they to write something as loving, lovely, feeling good, heart-warming, encouraging, soothing and uplifting.Yes, one could belittle Karon's books as sentimental. They ARE sentimental, but in the best possible ways, in that they appeal to-and in my opinion, satisfy-our tender emotions. But they don't descend into mawkishness; that's not Jan Karon's style. That said, not each in the series is as good. With Home to Holly Springs, Jan Karon has, in my opinion, written her best, yet. I've just started to ready In The Company Of Others. I truly hope there are more books forthcoming in the Father Tim series; I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I don't want it to end. So, in case I haven't gotten the point across, I recommend Home to Holly Springs. I recommend the whole series, even though not each book is strong. But Father Tim will become part of the reader's "tribe" on an emotional level and, thus, enrich her or his life. Of that I have no doubt. Enjoy!

I gather there have been some complaints about this book: it is not as sweet, soft and comforting as Karon's other books. It is, in fact, honest and raw and human, and I think it is her best book yet. I was raised as a Protestant, and I watched those around me, who attended church on Sunday mornings, abuse themselves and their children. I watched them cheat on their spouses and their taxes and generally behave very badly indeed, and yet assure themselves and others that "we are all going to heaven because God forgives, and we go to church on Sunday morning." Unfortunately, this includes the clergymen of my community, not just their "believers." I do believe in forgiveness, but not hypocrisy, and I left so-called Christianity behind at an early age. This does not mean that I have no belief in God or the true Christ, but the organized church has completely missed the mark in terms of its doctrinal enforcements and rationalizations, in my opinion. Karon's early books were, I thought, charming, and indeed sweet and comforting...but that was all. In this book, her protagonist returns to his beginnings, and we see why he truly is the way he is. Her characters and the stories they tell are often chilling, and we see and feel--viscerally--the pain this man lived through growing up. I continue to find his little homilies largely meaningless, as well as her tendency to keep him on his throne, but he himself emerges as a very real person, and I salute Karon for her honesty and willingness to get her hands dirty in this book. I wonder if her readers will let her change?

I've read and re-read all the Mitford series multiple times. The characters feel like family, so I've been eagerly anticipating the new Father Tim series.I got this as a Christmas present and just finished reading it in the last 24 hours. While there was much in this novel I loved, I have to say I agree with some of the reviewers who felt the various plot lines all tied up just a little too neatly to be believable, and that detracted from my enjoyment of the book.I'm a Christian and a strong believer in prayer and miracles, and have always appreciated Karon's depiction of God's work answering prayer in her other books. And most of this book is no exception. But there are just a few places where the plot, the miracles and happy ending feels forced. I think the book would have greater depth if Karon had allowed there to be more struggle or tension, or let some of the plotlines carry over into a subsequent novel. There's also a shallowness of characterization here that wasn't evident in the Mitford series. Karon delves into deep emotional and spiritual struggles with some of the characters before we hardly even know their names, whereas in Mitford, we had a chance to get to "know" them more before some of their deeper struggles became a focus of the plot. The combination of somewhat shallow characterization with sections delving into their inner struggles is an odd one. We learn too much about some of the characters before we're ready to put such revelations in context.I still enjoyed this a lot and will buy more in the series. But it wasn't up to Karon's previous standard. Hopefully she'll hit her stride in subsequent novels in the series.

I have read 9 of the Jan Karon books in this series. This is by far, one of her best. Keeps your interest, well written and easy comforting read.

I's been several years since I read the last in the Mitford series, and I'd been saving this book as a treat for just the right moment. That moment came, and as I began "Home to Holly Springs", I wondered if I'd recall the characters and events of Mitford. What a delight to discover that reading this book was just like returning to my hometown: I immediatelty fell into step with each of the character's lives and also relished the new characters brought into this world. From start to finish, I loved each page of this book, and finished it with a smile. I know I can always come home to this wonderful group of people and to Jan Karon's crisp writing. Go on: treat yourself!

This gives a large amount of the back story for Father Tim and was published after the Mitford series. I read the Mitford novels first and I'm not sure if knowing the full back story would have taken something from them, so you may want to read Mitford first. I also felt this book was rather packed trying to tie up all the references to Tim's past from the Mitford series and it would almost have benefited from being spread over two or three books.

I justlvoe the Mitford series of books by Jan Karon. They are just simple tales of small town folk but engaging and edifying and a joy to read.

Item as described and arrived promptly. This was a present for a friend. I am sure she likes it.

Wonderful