My Mom, however, discovered Jan Karon’s Mitford Series and fell in love with the books. She devoured the nine installments and spoke wistfully of re-reading them. For Christmas, I came across several of the books at Half Price Books for $1 and had an epiphany. This would be one of Mom’s Christmas presents – the whole Mitford Series! She was delighted! The only problem – she just knew I would love them as much as she did and so I had to read them. My (unspoken) reaction? Ugh.I love my Mom dearly and thought it would be nice to have something to discuss, so when she brought the first three books in the series to me, I dutifully began reading, albeit with a heavy sigh. After the first few chapters, I realized Mama truly does know best. I love Mitford.
I immediately fell for Father Tim, the bachelor Episcopal priest, who in his sixties discovers love with his new neighbor Cynthia. Tim is a loving man, but has people he has trouble tolerating, even in his own congregation! He is a diabetic who sneaks sugar. In other words, Father Tim is a real person and not some idealized priest.
The other characters are just as winsome. I want to sit on Miss Sadie’s porch and sip tea while she tells me stories or listen to Uncle Billy’s jokes while avoiding his wife Rose’s cooking. Mostly, I want to scratch Father Tim’s big black dog Barnabas on his head.
Karon has created a literary Mayberry. It’s a place of simple pleasures and nicely tied up stories. Life circumstances always have a happy ending in this little town. There will be no shocking twists; plotlines are telegraphed well in advance. This is a place where all is right with the world or will be in just a chapter or two.
With the stock market tanking and concerns over the direction in which our country is being led, like Rascal Flats, I miss Mayberry. This is precisely why now is the time to discover Mitford. It is a wonderful respite from a stressful life.
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