Saint The Books

This book chronicles a Brooklyn church and its community amid the crime, drugs and despair of the black community. However , faith and learning to believe in the Lord and his ultimate plan for an individual and his community makes this church an oasis amid the storms. It is a story of a pastor, with his own demons, trying to be resopnsible for the souls of his congregation and the thin ice on which he must tread. This book will make you look at the inner city and its churches in a different light.

This book was well written and well resourced and led me on a pilgrimage to this black Mecca.

Samuel Freedman has done a remarkable job in his chronicle of the story of Reverend Johnny Ray Youngblood, a pastor of a now-thriving urban church, St. Paul Community Baptist Church. This narrative covers the history of Youngblood from before his arrival at St. Paul's, a once-thriving but fallen-upon-hard-times congregation, through Youngblood's early struggles to turn the situation around, finally into their days of success as a growing centre of ministry.

Youngblood is not the typical African-American minister, and realises this in many ways. He is compared with other ministers of significant churches, with education backgrounds at Harvard and the like, and contrasted by Freedman with those ministers who feel all that is needed for effective ministry is 'the call'. Youngblood realises that education can sometimes be a distraction, and can sometimes get in the way -- the person in pew will want the answer to the question, 'What does this mean for me?' -- but should not be abandoned or discounted in its importance.

Youngblood experienced conflict as a central feature of his ministry: conflict within the congregation, conflict within his family, and conflict with society at large. Youngblood accepted conflict head-on in many instances -- he stood up to the leaders of the congregation from the earliest times (indeed, Youngblood says that in many ways, he tried to sabotage his own accession to the pastorate at St. Paul so as not to have to deal with their problems), and dealt firmly with people and issues, as is often expected from ministers in the African-American tradition.

Even from his seminary days, when he was forced out of a student-pastorship position, conflict seemed inevitable, such that the very idea of ministry frightened Youngblood in many ways. However, there was grace in the presence of Reverend William Augustus Jones, pastor of a Brooklyn church, and instructor on the urban church experience, particularly the church in the ghetto. It was Jones who drew Youngblood to New York City, and Jones whose gentle, astute mentoring shaped Youngblood into an effective minister.

One somewhat disturbing piece in this narrative is the absence of his wife and family for the most part; we as readers know a bit of the issues of family from Youngblood's perspective, but do not hear the voices of those who were, or at least who one assumes were, the closest companions in Youngblood's ministry.

One of the ideas that comes across in this book is that the process of ministry is a never-ending education, a learning on-the-job that never stops as long as the ministry is effective. It also shows that conflict and struggle are part of the very fabric of ministry, never to be eliminated, even if it is occasionally ignored. This book is not to be ignored -- it is a success story on many levels. Freedman's sensitivity and insight into a community not his own is remarkable.

This book takes you on a journey filled with the miracles of faith and power of prayer. You can feel each trial and tribulation in your heart. I have visited this church after reading this book and the warmth and love is all over the church. This pastor has endured much, in order to dedicate his life to his calling. I was inspired to reach out and believe me it was a rock for me as a child of Christ and I was able to dedicate myself to the cause of Christ. It is a must read for all, young and old. My children, and my childrens children will read this.

This book chronicles a Brooklyn church and its community amid the crime, drugs and despair of the black community. However , faith and learning to believe in the Lord and his ultimate plan for an individual and his community makes this church an oasis amid the storms. It is a story of a pastor, with his own demons, trying to be resopnsible for the souls of his congregation and the thin ice on which he must tread. This book will make you look at the inner city and its churches in a different light.

Picked up this book and couldn't put it down until the last page. Then I had to share it with others so I ordered 3. One recipient ordered 4 more. So many people will be enjoying the wisdom of little children. Also, the photographs are so poignant; they deserve long, loving looks. Thanks to Sr. Bridget for putting these stories into print.

A friend gave me this book and as soon as I opened it, I knew I had bought Christmas stocking stuffers for all of my family, friends and former teachers. Don't miss this wisdom that is bought for such a bargain.

The little gems of wisdom are presented in a clean and undistracted manner. Editor Haase is clear in her presentation and keeps the focus on the children. Her insightful snapshots of children she has taught illustrates a keen mind and an open hearts to the litttles ones of the world

Haase's book is wonderful and wonder-filled. So many of the insights of the children remind us that wisdom is not retricted to the aged. It is wonder to read again of the world as seen and so often deeply understood through the simplicity of children. The author reminds us to look again carefully at our world and all the wonders in it and look when possible with the eyes and understanding of a child. I was touched especially by the sketches of the children who touched her life. I have taught for over 30 years and I can't believe how many words of wisdom simply passed me by

What a wonderful little book, even if you don't have children.

I normally do not read books like this, but being a grandfather of a 4 year old, I picked it up and read it. And RE-read it and then read it again. What a wonderful little book. I learned more about love, death, poverty, success and the future in a half hour than I have learned in books that took me weeks to read. I especially like the story about a Catholic nun who believes in her faith interacting with a Muslim boy who believes in his faith. Too bad we don't have politicians reading that story.

The lesson I took away from this book is one we have all heard before - listen to the children, they have a wisdom and an understanding on life that can help us all face a very scary world.

I can't say enough how much I enjoy every book Dorothy Garlock writes.
She has a way of telling each story and really makes the reader feel like she is back in time. I have already read this book but wanted to read it again as I do many of her books. I am looking forward to her next book, On Tall Pine Lake, can't wait.
If you like books with a little of everything, you will enjoy this book.

This is a sweet and action-packed story, with the love story of Berry and Simon and Rachel and Fain. Dorothy Garlock is a master of creating memorable characters.... and this is one of her best.

Berry and Rachel are two strong female characters, that overcome numerous hardships, but always help each other through them. Their troubles seem to grow and grow, and even the strong characters of Simon and Fain get drawn into their bad luck.

This book is full of romance, intense action, and lots of suspense. I couldn't put this one down!

Enjoy, I'm off to read Annie Lash now! Watch for my upcoming review.

Dorothy Garlock's book is a great read. The characters are believable. I have read the book numerous times. It was read so often, I bought a second copy.

There is a fine line between a heroine who is 'spunky' and a heroine who is TSTL (too stupid to live). Dorothy Garlock's heroine in WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS is definitely TS.

Reluctantly, Berry Warfield and her pregnant stepmother are traveling to Missouri. Missouri is a long way from an Ohio homestead, but the cruel actions of a vicious man forced the journey. Suddenly, fate intrudes and they are finally free. Berry Warfield's wretched father is dead and now the two women must face the savage wilderness alone.

Simon Witcher is a rough, tough, frontier man. He is a man who loves the challenge of unbroken land. He is a trader and an adventurer and although Berry Warfield's beauty and carefree spirit fascinate him, there simply is no room in his vigorous life for her.

Dorothy Garlock is an author who CAN write a historical setting. This author never ceases to amaze with her unique specified gift. However, a pleasant feeling of excitement and wonder should always fill a romance story. The romance should be idealistic, sentimental, and mystifying. In WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS the heroine's actions are not pleasingly romantic. Regrettably, Berry Warfield's vicious tongue and foolish ideas are not enjoyable to read. Even so, Garlock's strong writing style, setting control, and secondary characters do manage to pull WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS into 'page turner' territory.
Grade: B-

MaryGrace Meloche.

Once again I've gotten to read about an interesting time in our country's history and enjoyed a wonderful story as well. I have almost all of Ms. Garlock's books and consider each of them a treasure. I have a book shelf specifically dedicated to her work. She's one of a kind!

I don't know how these reviews can look so recent

"No description of mere mortals or events of A WOMAN OF MEANS can indicate the particular kind of excitement it possesses--the excitement of being constantly on the verge of deep perceptions and deep interpretations."

"Quite simply, there is not a better writer of fiction now at work in the United States.... In A WOMAN OF MEANS...the reader is transported into a place so faithfully similar to the real world, yet so imbued with a knowledge of it that none of us can hope to possess, that one is left breathless with admiration."

I don't have an inkling as to how this tightly-crafted novel, circa 1950, happened to be re-published in 1996 by Piccador, but the discovery thereof is a bibliophiliac's treasure.

Other readers posting here have succinctly reported the plot which is written from the perspective of a pre-teen boy. But, the skill of the writer becomes apparent when - utilizing the same voice - he depicts what is happening to the ten-year-old youth as well as the 14-year one.

If one had read this in the 50's, say, at the time East Of Eden found its way to the shelves, the impression of greatness of Peter Taylor's slim opus could have been easily overlooked.

The irony is that reading it more than fifty years later, I find this coming-of-age story as heart-rending as any I have ever perused.

If you are reading this, than you are already considering the purchase of the soft-cover. Don't hesitate!

Normally, after reading a book I have many things to say about it, some of which come easily and others which I struggle to put into words. After completing A Woman of Means by Peter Taylor, I felt a whole rush of half-formed ideas and feelings bubbling just below my consciousness, but which I was unable to articulate. I beleive this is because although the story is told in a straightforward style and is easy to follow, it's presented through the eyes of a intelligent,young narrator who's struggling to find a place for himself, whether it be at his school, in the city, or in his own family.

Much of his uncertainty comes from his inability to establish a firm relationship with a mother-figure, whether it be with the grandmother he describes while recalling his earliest memories in the rural South, or with his wealthy step-mother whose home he lives in with his father in St. Louis.

A mother to him seems to represent a home, which is something he has never really had, due to his constant moving from place to place with a father who is determined to make a name for himself. When his father begins to achieve some professional success, gets married to a wealthy young widow and they move into the woman's house, there finally seems to be a chance to develop roots in a town, at a school, and most importantly within a family.

The story focuses on the boy's gradual sense of belonging and how this belonging is eventually threatened by what he perceives as the disolution of his parents's marriage. It is a very complex examination of not just what the boy needs to be happy, but his father and step-mother as well, and includes the the themes of wealth/poverty, the city/country, moderness/ tradition, and love and reputation--all of which are relevant to our own age. It also contains the same mysterious quality of all great art, in that it encapsulates things that can only be truly assimulated, not through the mind, but through the heart.

This was an admirable work by Dr. Nibley. In it, he demonstrates the role of the prophet in several different spheres and influences in the world around us. His examinations are more of a philosophical take on the world and the prophets, not so much a "scholarly" take per say, but nevertheless, he offers, to no surprise, a fresh and triumphant work that does not lack any less scholarship than any other of Dr. Nibley's work.

Really, this book is comparable with "Approaching Zion" and is indeed directed to more LDS audiences. Nevertheless, this book is a must for LDS and non-LDS readers alike to get an introduction to the LDS view of prophets and the world that they live in.

So, all in all, a fine book by a great scholar.

Hugh Nibley, to put it simply, is a genius. This outstanding work goes into the depth on prophets in the Bible, Early Christian Church, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (more commonly known as the Mormon Church). Its striking insights and parallels makes one to think. It is filled with information that deserve to be reread over and over again. A definite aid and an intriguing work. In fact, I think I am going to read it again...

Prof. Nibley's genius is evident in everything he writes. This book is astoundingly timely despite being written nearly 50 years ago. All of his statements about the times were true then, but 10 times as true now. I have six more of his books piled up in my books to read.

Hugh Nibley is widely considered one of the top scholars that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) has produced. During his long career, he has written extensively on ancient history, Scripture, the Book of Mormon, comparative religion and other subjects. Prof. Nibley has been praised by non-Mormon as well as Mormon scholars, including some Evangelical Protestants, who consider him Mormonism's best apologist. (Incidentally, there are some scholars within the LDS Church that question certain aspects of his methodology and his use of sources.)

For those who don't know, Mormons believe that the Christian church fell into apostasy early on and the Church was restored with the prophetic work of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844). Although the Reformers challenged some of Rome's teachings, they accepted the idea that revelation was mostly over and placed it in an inspired book rather than an inspired church. The Mormons believe in continuing revelation and Nibley even speaks highly of the Charismatic movement. To a certain extent, then, Mormonism is a form of "restorationism" which was popular during the time of Joseph Smith.

THE WORLD AND THE PROPHETS is a collection of talks that Dr. Nibley gave on radio 50 years ago. Nibley concisely sets forth the Mormon idea of revelation (particularly the importance of prophecy) and contrasts it was historic Christianity, which tends to limit revelation to an inspired Church and an inspired book. According to Nibley, Christianity (if you can all it that) went off the wrong track early on with its emphasis on "mysticism, speculation, and rhetoric." Nibley argues that, on the other hand, Mormonism is a more "literal" and less "speculative" religion.

THE WORLD AND THE PROPHETS' biggest limitation is that inherent in brief lectures. There is a tendency to draw excessively sharp contrasts between Mormonism and more traditional forms of Christianity. For example, Nibley alleges that the rest of the Christian world is given to Greek speculation (such as the classical formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity and the Deity of Christ) yet the same thing could be said with respect to Mormons (in their doctrine of deification and the like). In addition, Nibley has the tendency to make historic Christians out to be something of frauds. In a couple places, he even implies that Church Fathers like Augustine were such blatant phonies that they even had to admit it. I checked out a few of Nibley's references and there are, to put it mildly, more charitable interpretations one could give them.

Even if one is not a Mormon, one can appreciate this book for the insight that it sheds on the Mormon view of historic Christianity. For a different perspective (which doesn't mention Mormonism or Nibley, however) one might consult Jean Danielou's work GOD AND THE WAYS OF KNOWING.

The first thirty chapters of this book were delivered as radio addresses by Hugh Nibley in 1954. In 1962 they were published as we have here with two concluding chapters. These lectures all discuss the nature of the prophetic calling versus what the world would praise as leaders. Nibley hammers home again and again that a prophet has nothing to do with earning the world's praise nor is he required to appeal to us. It is our duty to hear God's voice and get ourselves in line with what God would have us do. To do this we need to hear the Spirit who will confirm to us the words we hear from the prophet.

It is always interesting to me that we continue to turn to our own ways even after having the world's folly confirmed to us again and again. Yet, to the world the message of any prophet is foreign and strange to the point of being ridiculous. No wonder they mock and point. It is our job to ignore the world and stay focused on the words of life.

This book can help make following true prophets much easier with greater understanding, confidence, and focus. It does read as a series of talks rather than a treatise that builds up a single argument. Instead, each chapter can be read separately. You might gain by reading one chapter each day for a month and a day and meditate on each one for that day.

One marvels at the detail of the exposition. I especially enjoyed the tidbits of economic detail. For example, an ordinary seaman's pay on one of HM's warships at the time was 5 pounds in 6 months. For another example, when a musketball shattered Nelson's arm in the Canaries, his medical expenses weren't fully covered by the terms of his employment. Instead, Nelson paid the surgeon (36 pounds) and, separately, the surgeon's assistant (25 pounds) their fees for removing the arm. White portrays Nelson as a most vigorous personality of supreme confidence. One thinks of Bonaparte, another unflinching character of the same era.

White's portrait focuses intently on Nelson. While he presents the naval strategic context, the historical dilettante, such as myself, has difficulty remembering what these wars with Spain and France were all about. I would have appreciated more social and historical context, even if, arguably, that goes beyond the scope of the book. The lack tempted me to dock the book a star.

The excellent maps, illustrations and sidebars aided immensely. White writes well (or has a good editor), so the book reads easily and compares very favorably with its genre.

A professional review I read of this book says that it "reads like a Patrick O'Brian novel". I would echo that. Mr White tells the familiar story of Nelson at the battles of St Vincent and Teneriffe in a new and exciting way that really brings the events to life. It is always easy to visualize the scene he is describing and his abundant use of pictures (many of them never published before) helps with this.

He has also done a lot of scholarly research into original sources, many of them only recently discoved. As a result, his view of the battles, and Nelson's role in them, is very different to the traditional one in the older books. He makes it easy for the reader to follow all these new insights, by explaining them in special 'boxes;' so as not to interrupt the flow of the main narrative.

This is without doubt one of those books that changes our idea of great events. If you are at all interested in Nelson, get it!

This is one book that deserves all five stars! Mr. Colin White knows his subject well. Even great heroes such as Nelson had downfalls as we all do. Mr. White brings out the long ordeal that Nelson suffered after the loss of his arm and his ability to "bounce" back once his infected stump was healed & showes the humour that Nelson & his family used to overcome the tragidy. It reads so well I finished it in a couple of days. Mr White highlights information that isn't in other books on Nelson. Excellent work, Mr White.

Admiral Lord Nelson plays such a central role in British naval lore that any decent library - including those here in the USA - will have a good amount of shelf space dedicated to his career, his personality and his world. To presume to add more to an already worthy pile of volumes requires that an author has new information, takes a new focus or has something otherwise fresh and vivid to say about the man. Colin White, a Director of the Royal Navy's own museum that lies alongside Nelson's HMS Victory at Portsmouth, stylishly accomplishes all of these aims in his new book.

Already a Nelson scholar of some repute, White makes extensive use of newly discovered documents, and of course well-tested older sources, to take the reader closer to `Nelson the man' than ever before. By concentrating on Nelson as a fully-formed senior commander, now on the very cusp of greatness if only he can find and seize an opportunity, White produces a relatively short, intensely readable work that nobly resists the common temptation to spend an introductory 75-pages re-hashing well-known anecdotes of his hero's early life and career. White cuts straight to the chase yet has a style of presentation that in no way would leave the Nelson novice floundering: the great man is seen in full, but not at inordinate length!

In short, this book - even with its single-year focus - would make an admirable first port of call for readers who know something of Nelson's general fame - perhaps from the great naval fiction writers such as Patrick O'Brian or C.S. Forester - but do not necessarily fully appreciate `what all the fuss is about'. Readers wanting more depth will appreciate both the new material and the clarity and intelligence with which it is integrated into the known record. From growing up in an English naval family, I thought I already knew quite a lot about Nelson - now I can't wait to know from White `what happened next'!

Fantastic book. I never realized what this area had to offer in hiking opportunities. This book really covers the area very well. The maps and description are a great read and enhance the experience. I've walked a long way in my time and this book just adds to the adventure.

This book is great for visitors to the Twin Cities or long-time residents. Excellent directions and maps and useful and accurate information about the difficulty of the trail, trail length and access, plus special elements of interest. The book reads as though Tom is right there with you. One item that I find especially unique is that this book also presents trails that are accessible to people in wheelchairs or who have physical limitations that would preclude them from enjoying most areas of hiking and yet they can still get the feeling of being in the woods and a chance to enjoy the great outdoors and there are also hikes for the more experienced hiker. Excellent variety of hiking trails for all, plus a few areas that I did not know about and I live in the Twin Cities! Would make an excellent gift!

I knew there were a lot of parks around the cities but this book takes each one with a good trail system and shares the walk with the reader...easy to follow and easy to review to decide which hikes to take. Also like the fact that the author is a naturalist and shares facts and tidbits about the things found along the hike. This is a good birthday or Christmas gift for anyone who is even a casual hiker.

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Twin Cities by outdoor enthusiast, hiker, photographer, bird-watcher, and canoeist Tom Watson is a detailed and thoroughly "user friendly" guide to sixty different scenic hikes in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota, including wildlife hikes, historic hikes, urban hikes and even hikes for kids. Packed from cover to cover with maps, information about local resources, trail guides and more, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles is an excellent and enthusiastically recommended planning resource for Twin Cities area hikers and outdoor enthusiasts looking for exercise, variety, and fun.

Cramming in the full history of the rise and the fall of the Islamic Empire in one book is not an easy task. Peterson's nicely readable explanation includes even more: he starts with ancient Israel and their subjection to the Greek Seleucids and the Romans before Islam was established through Mohammed the prophet. Much of the history is uneventful for the non-scholarly read, so Peterson focuses on the events that have formed modern Islam and modern Judaism, even talking about the recent Near East developments. His whole point is that you need to understand where Muslims came from to understand their current strife and complicated (seemingly irrational) behavior. Islam is not a pagan religion, but a sister to Judaism and a cousin to Christianity. The very word Allah, translates to "one true God" in English. He explains the virtue of Mohammed and the wonder of the Empire he created. For centuries, Arabic was the intellectual language of the world, in which all science, philosophy and literature was conducted.

I chose to read this book because I heard Peterson give a lecture on Mohammed and Islam at BYU in early 2004. He was an articulate orator, and I was engaged within minutes. "If he is a good speaker, then he must be a good writer," I thought, and I purchased his book that week. Indeed, I remember certain phrases from his lecture that were nearly identical to his chapter on Mohammed.

Abraham Divided attempts to help westerners, particularly LDS ones, see Islam in a different light-appreciating and recognizing Muslims for the great contributions they made to western history. Peterson proves that the West is intellectually and technologically indebted to the Near East under Islamic rule. If LDS Westerners tried to understand Muslims without stereotyping, then they might try to understand us (and wouldn't the world be a happy place!). Actually, Peterson wisely declines to offer a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict in Palestine, only recognizing that it is a very difficult and complicated situation.

The only thing that would make this book better would be an updated version. So much has happened since he wrote it that I would love to hear Prof. Peterson's interpretations.
It is an excellent resource and I refer to it often.

Islam, the faith of millions, is easily misunderstood in the west. We, for example, often see terrorists justifying their brutality in the name of Islam. This book, written by an LDS scholar on the Middle East, paints a very sympathetic but even-handed picture of this important faith. I learned a lot that I now value knowing. It is a good read too.

The author writes very well, and has a lot to say -- with humor and a light touch. I've had a few Muslim friends read the book, and they have all, thus far, come away from it impressed by the author's fairness and by how much he knew and understood about their faith.

A walk through the book of Acts like no other commentary. Volume 4 of Ellen G. White's 5 volume Conflict of the Ages series, insight beyond any other non-Biblical writer. Try reading the entire series from beginning to end for an astounding experience.

This book, being among a set of 5, reveals the nature of Sin and its far-reaching impact on all. As with all Ellen White's books, she conveys the way toward the abhorence of sin and to the Grace of a righteous life in Jesus. From the book, "Patriarchs & Profits", to "The Triumph of God's Love" (now titled, "The Great Controversay"), I have personally experienced steady growth in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. Thank God for Ellen White!

This book, being among a set of 5, reveals the nature of Sin and its far-reaching impact on all. As with all Ellen White's books, she conveys the way toward the abhorence of sin and to the Grace of a righteous life in Jesus. From the book, "Patriarchs & Profits", to "The Triumph of God's Love" (now titled, "The Great Controversay"), I have personally experienced steady growth in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. Thank God for Ellen White!

If you want to read a wonderful, general commentary dealing primarily with the events of the book of Acts, read this book. Here is a great quote from the chapter Transformed by Grace. "Prayer is heaven's ordained means of success in the conflict with sin and the development of Christian character....For the pardon of sin, for the Holy Spirit, for a Christlike temper, for wisdom and strength to do His work, for any gift He has promised, we may ask; and the promise is, "Ye shall receive." (Acts of the Apostles, p. 564).

Here is another wonderful statement. "Your sins may be as mountains before you; but if you humble your heart and confess your sins, trusting in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, He will forgive and will cleanse you from all unrighteousness." (Acts of the Apostles, p. 566).

This book was written years ago and you might find the style somewhat quaint, but you will be blessed if you are seeking for deep spiritual refreshment.

I thought this was a great book to read. It had excitement, romance, and great characters. I especially like Gloria and Baby Raymond. Anyone who has read it and didn't think it was good is a loonatic.

Now, this woman can really write--turn a phrase--find the right word--pull us in with her language--so much so that she is worth reading just for the rhythum of her words. Her characrters are extremely well developed--especially the Cajun, ex-con 'girl boy' Harlan and the young single mother, red-diaper-baby, nurse Glory. But there are others, many others, major and minor--who pop off the pages as living breathing people that never feel contrived. The location of this story, New Orleans in the 50's, is also developed as a living character, important to the story and part of this book's accomplishment. Likewise, American Culture--and our knowledge of the events that are just around the cornor, the history that is about to unfold and our characters will have to encounter and deal with are palpable --esp. racism and to a lesser extent sexism, homophobia and even the rise of the New Left appear. Then there is the action--?? what action?? yes-each character is struggling with issues--real, serious, issues of the moment and issues of the spirit--so the title tells it all--"All Saints" -- everyone is, in fact, and in deed, worthy of sainthood, even when life is confusing--which it generally is. (Also--this story takes place on, and close to, All Saint's Day in New Orleans--so there is another inference to the living mass as Saints--crowds in parades where our characters find themselves--and all the saints that came before and are now dead, ie: why we celebrate all Saints Day--which is a nice touch). But still, while the characters and their struggles are moving, insightful and shows off the authors talents there isn't much happening. It is testament that the book is so very readable that it doesn't matter too much that there isn't much happening to pull us along. But there would be a lot more readers for this book if the story itself had half the depth that the characters do. Still --read this book--it is good, real good, maybe near great--but not quite.

Karen Palmer's "All Saints" is a wonderfully paced debut. Her sense of place and atmosphere is so detailed and sumptuous, the reader can almost feel the soggy Louisiana heat. Her characters all ring true, especially the Cajun convict Harlan Desonnier and Glory Wiltz, the nurse unable to tend to her own spiritual disease. But Palmer has an ability to create unforgettable minor characters as well - Telford Gaudin, Louis Chopin and Lonnie Dee not only support the major characters but are interesting in their own right. Palmer has an eye for the telling detail and an unsurpassed ear for dialogue. BUY THIS BOOK!

Karen Palmer's intelligent study of three people pushed to the wall by their own mistakes is a real find among the hoards of trash on the bookshelf. All Saints stacks up well against the novels of Annie Proux and Jane Smiley for storytelling but far exceeds either of these Pulitzer Prize winners in pure writing talent. Palmer's writing is deeply sensual and loaded with startling portrayals of character, absolutely gives off sparks. No author writing today stays as intimate with her characters, allowing the reader to experience their internal struggle while pulled along by an ever-thickening plotline. The narrative comes with three points of view, each identified with a lead character: Harlan Desonnier, a Cajun and recently released prisoner having served time for accidentally killing his wife; Glory Wiltz, a nurse with a baby from a mixed marriage; and Frank Doyle, a fallen priest. One might suppose Harlan, Glory and Father Frank represent the trinity of the human spirit (heart, intellect and soul) under trial. But what really characterizes this novel is that it is about something. Most novels today are action-packed little ditties full of sensational plotlines and superficial, stereotypical characters in cliched situations. Palmer's novel is full of real characters, who encounter themselves in the consequences of their own actions. Rarely even in a good novel do you get a good ending, but in All Saints, Palmer accomplishes the miraculous: three terrific endings! Each of her characters reaches a separate fate, each realizing something about themselves we as readers can identify with in our own circumstances. I heartily recommend this novel to anyone interested in a reading experience that goes beyond entertainment.