Southernmost by Silas House

Reviewed by Ashley

Set shortly after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage, when some counties were still refusing to issue marriage licenses for same sex couples, Southernmost introduces us to Asher Sharp, an evangelical pastor.

The book opens with a flood, and we are quickly introduced to Asher as his priorities are laid out. First, save his mother-in-law, who has always been more like a mother to him than his own. Up next, he goes looking for his dog, likely separated from home by the river that rose so suddenly. When his son goes looking for their dog and disappears, Asher’s anxiety reaches a peak, and we know what his ultimate love in life is: his son. He finds his son, helping and being helped by two men who have recently moved into their small town in middle Tennessee, whose house he watched wash away just hours earlier. The men assist Asher when another house sweeps by, two members of his congregation hanging out of a window and calling for help.

Asher takes in the devastation around him and knows that his view of the world is expanding beyond the narrow views he has preached for years.

When he watches his wife turn away the two men who helped his son because she doesn’t agree with their lifestyle, he knows his faith has changed. When he listens to his congregation turn away the two men who risked their own lives to pull some of them from that raging river, solely because the men love each other, he knows his faith has changed. When he faces the guilt he has lived with for years over how he and his mother treated his brother for that same sort of love, he knows his faith has changed.

The divorce is ugly, the custody battle is bitter, and the aftermath leaves him reaching for a new life altogether. He abandons everything he knows, the world he grew up in, and uses the upheaval to take his son and see what else is out there. Following the postcards his brother has sent him over the years- never with a written message, but leading him to writings that have helped him expand his views on the world, they land in Key West.

What follows is a story about a man struggling to understand how to adjust to a world that has moved on without him, learning what it means to grow faster than those you love but slower than society has grown. With a dash of found family and a considerable amount of character growth, Southernmost explores what it means to watch our beliefs change. It examines the things we hold dear and believe in, the things we would do absolutely anything for, and the mistakes we make in trying to stand firm in our faiths. Southernmost asks us to examine our actions and live with the consequences, no matter the outcome.

While I would have loved it if the book had spent more time in Key West or delving into the found family aspect of the story, I absolutely understood that these things weren’t the focus of the book. I did feel the ending was almost rushed, compared to the rest of the book, but honestly, I’m glad that the ending seemed to move as quickly as the flood that opened the book, reflecting the speed at which our lives can change not just from natural disasters, but also through our own decisions and actions.

I checked this book out on a whim, thinking I’d try a few chapters and move on, but instead found myself devouring it in mere hours. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever questioned their beliefs or felt like they’ve outgrown the things they once held true, to anyone who has ever looked at their decisions and been tempted to run away from their problems rather than face them.

Conversations with American Writers: The Doubt, the Faith, and the In-Between by Dale Brown

Reviewed by William Wade

 Conversations with American Writers:  The Doubt, the Faith, and the In-Between by Dale Brown is a collection of ten interviews between Brown and a number of contemporary American writers.  This is the second such set which Brown has put together, and they are remarkably charming pieces, indicative of his knowledge of American literature and his ability to draw from these writer significant conversations about their work.

Brown gently guides these interviews through a number of different topics, generally following the lead of his authors.  He explores the reasons why they write, the relationships that develop between them and their publishers as well as those who buy their books.  A significant part of the conversations deal with the religious positions held by the writers and how those views have been shaped from childhood.  Brown lets his authors speak freely as to their convictions, and he never expresses any judgment about what they have to say.  And although all of them can be thought of as individuals with serious Christian viewpoints, the way in which they live and express their faiths may vary sharply.

These interviews should be read when there is ample time for relaxation and consideration of what it being said.  It might be best if any interview could be read when the author’s books are readily available for comparison and study.  Fortunately, the Bristol Public Library has books by all these individuals.

Authors included in this book are the following:  Eleanor Taylor Bland, David James Duncan, Terence Faherty, Ernest Gaines, Philip Gulley, Ron Hansen, Silas House, Jan Karon, Sherri Reynolds, and Lee Smith.

It needs to be noted that Dale Brown served for many years as a Professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and director of the Festival of Faith and Writing.  During this time he also came to be recognized as the leading American authority on the theologian Frederick Buechner.  Brown left Calvin and joined the faculty at King University where he also instituted a program to bring Christian writers and speakers to King.

Rumble by Ellen Hopkins

Reviewed by Meygan

I am addicted to Ellen Hopkins’ books. For those of you who have never read anything by Ellen Hopkins, you should be warned that her novels are controversial. Her first Young Adult book Crank is about her daughter’s drug addiction to meth. She also writes about teenage prostitution, suicide, bullying, and other divisive subjects. Needless to say, schools and parents have tried to ban her books from coming in contact with a student or child. I am enthralled by her decision to write about these topics that some authors wouldn’t dare to touch with a ten foot pole, so I looked forward to reading her newest novel Rumble. The characters were believable; the plot was tense. So why did I feel so disappointed?

In Rumble, I was introduced to Matthew (he prefers “Matt”) who is head over heels for a pretty blonde girl, but then again what teenage boy isn’t? Her name is Hayden and although she is his girlfriend, he feels that she is becoming a stranger to him. On top of worrying about his relationship, Matt is also dealing with the loss of his brother who killed himself after being bullied because he was homosexual. Matt seeks comfort from Hayden but is disappointed to find out that she would rather spend time with her “church going” friends, who he feels judge him and come in between his relationship with Hayden. Matt is an atheist who believes that death ends everything. Throughout Rumble, he is trying to deal with forgiving those he feels played a part in his brother’s death as well as forgiving himself. He also begins to question some of his own beliefs.

As I mentioned before, the characters are believable. They deal with typical teenage problems such as bullying and relationship problems. The characters met my standards for what I expect from an Ellen Hopkins book. I also found myself unable to put down the book. It is around 550 pages and I read it in three days. Of course, Ellen Hopkins writes her stories using poetry, so the book is probably really half the size. (There goes my bragging right.) I guess I was most disappointed with the climax of the story. When Matt is finally having that “coming-of-age” moment, the story feels rushed. I wanted to know more about Matt’s relationships with his parents and his girlfriend. Then again, Hopkins is known for writing sequels, so perhaps in a few years my questions will be answered.

As far as Matt’s acceptance, or lack of acceptance, towards the unknown after death, well, I feel that part was realistic and easy to appreciate. I had empathy for Matt and I am a sucker for a guy with a broken heart. As far as Hayden goes, I wanted her to get hit by a bus. (I am NOT a sucker for a conniving back stabber.) I would recommend this book to lovers of Young Adult books and/or readers who like to read about the true encounters that a teenager may face. While Rumble wasn’t my favorite Ellen Hopkins book, it isn’t the worst YA book (or adult book, for that matter!) I have read. 

If you’re intrigued by Hopkins, I highly recommend Identical and Burned.

Unleashed: Melanie Travis Solves Again!

Unleashed (Melanie Travis Mystery)by Laurien Berenson (F BER Main; SSB F BER Main)
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe

This is a charming series.  The stories are like eating potato chips – you will want to gobble them all up.  Each book is a satisfying mystery, linked by the up-and-down career and somewhat normal life of Melanie.   Melanie is a teacher and a divorced single mom.  She loves poodles.  Melanie has another passion too– solving mysteries. 

In fact, almost all of the characters are connected to the dog show world one way or another. Her Aunt Peg is dogmatic (pun intended).  She is a breeder of championship poodles and is very opinionated and determined to interfere in Melanie’s life.   Although a novice showing dogs, Melanie’s pet poodle is quickly becoming a star. 

The stories are set in the dog show world.  It’s an interesting and varied backdrop that includes a lot of quirky people involved with dogs in some way.  There are groomers, professional showers, and breeders.  There are also links to canine related topics such as doggie daycare and pet food. 

In Unleashed, Melanie is planning a wedding – her own.   Her fiancée Sam also raises poodles. Everything is going right in her world, with one exception.  Sam’s ex-wife, Sheila has moved into the area and Shelia has made it apparent that she wants Sam back.  She calls Melanie to bury the hatchet by inviting them to dinner.  To their surprise, Sam’s former best friend is there.  Not only that, but they are starting a National Enquirer type of magazine about dog shows.  Soon afterward, Shelia is murdered.  The police think it was a burglary gone bad, but Melanie and Sam suspect otherwise.  It affects Sam deeply and he asks Melanie to do some checking around.  The list of suspects is long. 

There are some interesting side plots too.  Faith, Melanie’s poodle is pregnant.  Her son Davey has a bully at school picking on him.  The bully issue is resolved in a funny way with Aunt Peg’s interference.  She calls the kids parents to tell them they won free dog training lessons.  She plans on training not only their dog, but also their son.

This series is delightful.  The behind scenes look at dog shows is fascinating.  If you love animals, you will be hooked.