Out to Canaan (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

'Out of Canaan' follows another year in the life of Father Tim and Cynthia Kavanagh. This is the fifth of Jan Karon's Mitford series (chronologically) but even reading them one after another, I didn't find myself bored. The characters are charming, the setting delightful, and there's just enough humour and sadness to make each book both moving and enjoyable.

This year, Cynthia and Timothy start to plan their retirement, and it's announced to the congregation. There's a mayoral election in Mitford, too. A rather dubious person stands against the long-term mayor, using a lot of money for his campaign.

In addition, Timothy feels he should attempt to find his foster-son Dooley's brothers and sister. He also becomes deeply concerned about the sale of the Fernbank residence.

This book would probably be confusing for anyone who has not read at least some of the previous books... most of the people recur in each one, and some of the subplots run throughout. But as part of the series, it's another well-written novel with a low-key Christian theme running throughout and plenty of interaction.

It's the third time I've read the book in six years, and I enjoy it each time. The four preceding novels in the series are: At Home in Mitford, A Light in the Window, A Common Life, and Those High Green Hills.

Definitely recommended.

The Ragamuffin Gospel (by Brennan Manning)

(Amazon UK link)

Apparently 'The Ragamuffin Gospel' was first published in 1990 and is now considered a classic. But I had never previously heard of Brennan Manning. I started to read the book because I was given it... and continued because I was so impressed by the writing, and so very encouraged by the content.

The book is, as the final chapter says, 'unbalanced'. It focuses on God's unconditional love for mankind, and the saving power of Jesus. It tries to help Christians to understand what they mean when they use the oft-quoted phrase about 'saved by grace'.

Most importantly, the author points out that we're all 'ragamuffins'. He deliberately doesn't use the word 'sinners', perhaps because that flows all too easily off the tongue. Instead, the picture of a ragamuffin is used throughout. Someone like Oliver Twist, perhaps: with nothing of beauty, no reason for anyone to care for us, nothing in ourselves that merits attention.

Yet God loves us anyway, with the deep and passionate love of a father. We don't have to do anything to merit his grace. As Philip Yancey says in his book on the same subject: there's nothing we can do that will make God love us more, and nothing we can do that will make God love us less.

Does that mean we can do whatever we like, that our lifestyle doesn't matter? Of course not. Manning doesn't focus on our response, or Christian living, although there are many books which do. Certainly God has standards, and we're called to holiness. But we don't have to strive for it, or struggle in our own strength. We accept God's love, take hold of his hand, and then find ourselves motivated to follow his commands and guidance. Will we ever succeed? Of course not, but every little step in the right direction is worth taking.

All in all, I thought this an excellent book. It is very well-written with an interesting style, including relevant anecdotes now and again, and often inspiring. There weren't any brand new insights, to be sure. But for those struggling with the concept of works vs grace, or caught up in legalistic forms of Christianity, I recommend it most highly.

(Note: you can also read my slightly longer review of 'The Ragamuffin Gospel', written after re-reading this book in 2012)

These High Green Hills (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

'These High Green Hills' was the third of Jan Karon's Mitford books to be written, but the fourth chronologically. It begins shortly after Father Timothy and Cynthia have been married, and focuses on their first year of marriage.

As with the other books there's plenty of interaction with friends and parishioners. But there is also an increased development of Father Tim's character and more glimpses of his past.

In addition, there are forays into the 'Creek' community of forgotten, impoverished families. And there is a surprise for Dooley, the boy Tim has been looking after. There is a little light humour as the parish office struggles to learn to use a new computer. And there is sadness and poignancy as much-loved characters grow older.

I like all the books in the series, but this is one of my favourites. It focuses on forgiveness, acceptance of the past, and hope. Father Tim faces some of his fears and insecurities in a surprising way when temporarily lost in a cave, and finds himself able to look forward to the future.

This could probably be read as a stand-alone, but it's much easier having read the earlier books. There is quite a cast of characters, and knowing a little of their history makes it less overwhelming. Reading it directly after the previous books makes it more enjoyable even than having read them a year or so apart, as I did the first time.

Highly recommended.

The first three Mitford books are: 'At Home in Mitford', 'A Light in the Window', and 'A Common Life'.

A Common Life (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

My father introduced me to the Mitford series by Jan Karon some years ago.  I found the first book, 'At Home in Mitford' totally delightful, and have collected each subsequent book in the series soon after publication. The author writes gentle, character-based stories based in small-town America, featuring the sixty-something Father Tim and his neighbour Cynthia.

This, rather confusingly, was the sixth Mitford book to be written, but is the third chronologically. It's quite a short book - less than 200 pages - and it covers the time from Father Tim's proposal to Cynthia through to their honeymoon. It answers a lot of questions left unanswered in the second book, 'A Light in the Window' and is well worth reading by any fan of this series. But ideally it should be read as the third book, not the sixth.

When I first read 'A Common Life', three years ago, I felt a bit disorientated as I had already read books covering later periods of Tim and Cynthia's lives as a married couple. It was a nice book, beautifully written, and I really enjoyed it. But at the same time, I felt as if I had somehow passed that stage.

However, re-reading them all now, I picked it up after finishing the second, and was immediately engrossed. It follows on from the last chapter of 'A Light in the Window', filling in gaps, and giving a wonderful picture of the growing and blossoming love of this delightful couple.

Some of this book is written from Cynthia's perspective although the majority still follows Father Tim in his day-to-day life, mixing with parishioners and other friends, and going through the inevitable pre-marital nerves. There's some light humour, and some that is very moving. All in all, a very enjoyable book.

Not really recommended for anyone who hasn't read the first two Mitford books, but - in my view - essential reading for anyone who has read them!

A Light in the Window (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

'A Light in the Window' is the second book in Jan Karon's delightful 'Mitford' series set in a small village in the South of the USA. Father Tim and his neighbour Cynthia enjoy each other's company and are attracted to each other.

But Cynthia has to spend several months in New York, and Father Tim is followed by a pushy widow, and plays host to an Irish cousin who eats anything she finds... meanwhile he continues to deal with his diabetes, counsels friends and parishioners, and tries to find what his heart holds.

No thrilling plot-line, no huge mysteries, but a beautifully written novel with realistic characters who I came to care about considerably by the end of the book. God is a big part of their lives, but is not brought into the book in an over-obvious or annoying way.

My only problem was in the edition of the book we own, which unfortunately is missing pages 47 to 94 due to a printing error. Some important parts of the plot are evidently revealed in this section, so - as with the first time I read it, some years ago - I'm determined to get a proper edition before the next time I read it!

Recommended for anyone who has read the first in the series, 'At Home in Mitford'- even if you haven't, this would probably stand alone.

At Home in Mitford (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

What a lovely book this is! I was given 'At Home in Mitford' for Christmas six years ago, and have gradually acquired and read most of the others in Jan Karon's 'Mitford' series over the years. For Christmas 2005 I was given the final Mitford book and decided to re-read the others first.

The main character is the delightful and unassuming Father Tim, rector of a small village church in the USA. Much of the book features his day-to-day life running the parish, mixing with parishioners, praying for the sick, helping people sort out their problems.

As the book begins he's feeling a bit run-down and elderly (he celebrates his 60th birthday) but there is plenty to keep him active: a lively dog who follows him around, a young boy whose mother is an alcoholic, an attractive (if slightly scatty) next-door neighbour, and the unexpected find of some jewels, presumed stolen.

The main enjoyment of this novel is in the characterisation, particularly that of Father Tim. We see everything from his viewpoint, and the author skilfully enables us to sympathise and empathise with him in all the problems he deals with.

God is very real in a down-to-earth way in this book, with two or three people being led to Christ in a gentle way. There's no direct evangelism or Bible-thumping, but an ongoing love of God runs through the storylines. The subplots are all cleverly interwoven, and although the number of characters is fairly high, I found that I quickly felt I knew at least the main ones.

All in all, 'At Home in Mitford' is a lovely book. It's probably my favourite in the entire series, but that could be because it's the first one I ever read. There are sections that made me smile on re-reading it this week, and a couple of places that brought tears to my eyes.

Highly recommended.

The Children of Primrose Lane (by Noel Streatfeild)

(Amazon UK link)

This is one of Noel Streatfeild's earlier books, written during the Blitz years of World War II. It features six children, aged 9-14, who live in council houses in a short lane. There's a fourth house in the lane which is unoccupied, and which they use as a den... until one day a stranger arrives and takes refuge there.

The children, well-versed in war safety, think he's probably a German spy, but because one of them has been rather indiscreet they don't feel able to report him to the authorities. Instead they try to hide him, and then when he escapes there's an exciting chase as they trail him as far as the coast.

It's a book for children, really intended to capture the interest of children in the 1940s, so inevitably it's a bit dated. Yet the children's characters seem quite modern: they are good friends, but squabble from time to time. They re loyal to each other, but also to their own families. They worry perhaps more than necessary about the consequences of their actions rather than trusting their parents and the police.

But it's a fascinating piece of social history, told from children's perspectives. Despite being a dangerous time to live, from the point of view of the war, the children are pretty much free to go where they please and do what they like. Their parents don't know they spend much of their time in the unoccupied house. When they take off in search of the man, a quick phone call seems to be sufficient to reassure their parents.

The book isn't currently in print but can sometimes be found second-hand. Recommended for children of about eight and over who are interested in the war years, or who like an exciting adventure. Also for anyone who likes Noel Streatfeild's work, although unusually there are no musical or dancing prodigies!

Gemma's Journey (by Beryl Kingston)

(Amazon UK link)

I'd never heard of Beryl Kingston before I picked up this book in the second-hand section of our local English bookshop. But the cover looked like my kind of novel, and the blurb on the back sounded interesting.

It starts in a dramatic way with a train crash. Gemma, an aspiring young actress, is on her way to an audition when her life is changed forever. She's trapped under a carriage and loses part of her leg. The novel is partly about her coming to terms with her loss, and it's done in a sensitive and interesting way. The author either has personal experience of losing a limb, or did some excellent research on the topic.

It's also a low-key romance, but I was less impressed with the way this plot-line was handled. It was too clichéd for my liking. Handsome hero appears as rescuer, clashes with heroine several times, has misunderstanding after misunderstanding, and suddenly all is resolved and they fall into each other's arms. 

Having said that, both of them are likeable people, even believable. But there are too many (in my opinion) internal thought-processes described, without much reason given for what they are saying and thinking. The conflicts come across as artificial, the resolution unlikely.

Then there are other threads: a doctor speaking out about privatisation and health service cuts in the 1990s. This makes some good points, but by about the middle of the book I was beginning to feel that the author's political agenda was pushed rather too much (despite my agreeing with much of what was said).

There's a 'villain' character too, in the form of Gemma's estranged father. He is caricatured and unpleasant and it was hard to believe that anybody could be taken in by him. Then Gemma's mother is a doting, perfectionist, pushy sort of person and it was a bit hard to imagine how Gemma herself could turn out so delightfully honest, open and friendly with two such bad role models as parents!

But I kept reading despite being somewhat irritated in places. It was an interesting book with a lot more action and excitement than can be found in the average book of this type, albeit rather predictable at times. I gather the author has been quite prolific, so as this particular book was published in 1997 I may see if I can find something more recent that she's written, as there was the potential for an excellent novel in this.

Thud! (by Terry Pratchett)

(Amazon UK link)

'Thud!' is the latest offering from Terry Pratchett in his lengthy (and bestselling) Discworld series. It mainly features the Ankh-Morpork 'Watch' (ie the police service) and particularly Sam Vimes, the totally honest - if unimaginative - commander.

Vimes is worried. There is a lot of tension in the city, as they approach the anniversary of the battle of Koom Valley. A dwarf is found dead, and other dwarfs accuse a troll. A strange picture goes missing from an art gallery. A vampire applies to join the Watch, and Vimes is obliged to take her on despite not trusting her race - even those who have taken the 'black ribbon' and do not drink blood.

It's not a book I would expect to have enjoyed, since I'm not a huge fan of the series involving the Watch. But this one was excellent. Vimes is extremely well-characterised and I found myself getting more behind his skin than ever before. It helped that there was another subplot running through the novel, that of Vimes needing to read a book to his toddler son each evening. There's a hilarious sequence when we finally learn what that book is about, and the gentler side of Vimes adds to his personality greatly.

I'm glad it was a good book since this will be a poignant memory for me. It's the last book I've read aloud to my two teenage sons. They have been busy with so many things that it's taken over two months to read it to them. My older son has now gone away for two years, so I won't be reading to him again, at least not for a while. But it was good to finish with such an enjoyable book.

Pratchett's novels are excellent for reading aloud: they don't have chapters (but plenty of section breaks) so it's easy to read a little or a lot, depending on time. There's plenty of ironic humour too, and asides that might be missed in reading to oneself.

'Thud!' is not really a book to introduce someone to Discworld. There are too many returning characters, and the various subplots are complex enough for someone familiar with the places and people. But it comes highly recommended for anyone who has read a few of the others, and not only for Watch fans.

The Time Traveler's Wife (by Audrey Niffenegger)

(Amazon UK link)

I even spelled the word 'traveller' the American way in the title! 'The Time Traveller's Wife' is by Audrey Niffenegger, whom I'd never heard of before reading a review of this book. It was such an enthusiastic review that I added the book to my Amazon wishlist, and received it for Christmas.

The concept of the book is intriguing: Henry is chronologically challenged, a genetic disorder which means that every so often he travels in time. I found the early part of the book rather mind-boggling, but eventually realised what was going on: every so often Henry's body leaps out of his present into another time (mostly past, but occasionally future) where he arrives naked, and sometimes is able to interact with himself at whatever age he was (or would be) in the time he travels to.

But the book mostly follows the timescale of Clare, who eventually becomes Henry's wife. Henry is actually eight years older than Clare, and from his perspective they meet when she's 20 and he's 28. But from her perspective, they first meet when she's six and he's forty, travelling back 26 years in time.

A bizarre premise for the book, which sounds like it should be science fiction but is really a modern romance novel. As we travel through Clare's childhood and teens, we meet Henry at various stages of his life until eventually they meet in Henry's present. Then the book follows their highs and lows of married life, interspersed with almost plausible science and medicine attempts to 'cure' Henry and help them have a baby.

Every section of the book tells us the date, Clare's age and Henry's age (or ages, if he's meeting himself somewhere in the past) and as he grows older he travels back to times which Clare can remember from her past. It's narrated alternately by Henry and Clare so we get the perspectives of both.

Of course there's much more to it than that. I didn't find it particularly gripping; indeed when I was reading the earlier parts I found I couldn't manage more than a chapter at a time as I hadn't quite figured out how the chronology was working. So it's taken me a week to get to the end, and on the whole I enjoyed it.

It was certainly a very clever idea, and quite well-executed. I'm sure there must have been plot holes (there nearly always are in time-travel books) but they weren't glaring. Some of the minor characters are very caricatured, but that didn't matter too much. More of a problem was that I found both Henry and Clare a bit two-dimensional. I never really entered into either of their minds, which is a bit odd as they both gave their clear first person viewpoints.

It should have been poignant - some reviewers have found it that way - but I didn't find much that moved me in this book. It should have had some tension, particularly in the latter parts, but I found myself not really caring enough to feel tense, although I was interested to know what happened. I also found myself a bit irritated by a rather excessive use of crude language that didn't seem either realistic or necessary.

But having said all that, I'm glad I read it; it was thought-provoking in many ways, and I may well read it again in a few years.