Call number
Collection
Publication
Viking (2007), Edition: 1st, 355 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML:Join Father Tim on a profoundly personal journey back to his childhood home in this charming novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Jan Karon's Mitford series. Thirty-eight years have passed since Father Tim Kavanagh left his Mississippi hometown, determined not to return. Then he receives a handwritten note postmarked Holly Springs. Cryptic and unsigned, it says only Come home. These two words compel him to make the most challenging journey of his life. Traveling to his boyhood home doesn�t merely take Father Tim across hundreds of miles. Thanks to a thousand sights and smells, he also travels back through memories�some fond and some he�s tried for nearly forty years to forget, from his quick-to-anger father and his lovingly tender mother to the picturesque small town he�d tried desperately to leave behind. And once Father Tim discovers who was behind the mysterious note, a truth is revealed that will change his life�forever.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member HuntertownUMC
Her books are always heartwarming; characters that become real
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
I had completed the Mitford series last year and fell in love with these gentle but believable people. I would never have thought that I would so like this particular genre, but they were just the ticket when I was ill. So when this newest one came out, Santa made sure it was under the tree. I am
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really looking forward to this being the start of a new series. Written as a prequel to the original series, this book takes the reader back to Fr. Tim's childhood hometown with all the attendant memories the visit unlocks. Show Less
LibraryThing member virginiahomeschooler
This first installment in the Father Tim series was very difficult to get into. Constant flashbacks are at times disorienting. However, the final half of the book was terrific. The pace picked up, and the flashbacks were fewer and further between. Overall, it was a satisfying read, if you can
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trudge through the first two hundred pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member nyisutter
The much awaited new Father Tim novel. It was worth the wait. But, not what I expected at all! I read a review that said this was one of her darkest books. Hmm, it might tie with In this Mountain, but for different reasons. This one deals with a lot of past hurts and also a lot of healing, so not
I think my favorite thing about this book is that she shares more about the folks back in Mitford. It is not in Mitford at all, and those characters are not really part of the story. There's not even a lot of Cynthia in this book. But, I was really frustrated with the last of Dooley's siblings showing up in the last sentence of the last book with NO details! This book fills in a bit of the information I was wanting!
If you are a Mitford fan, I am sure you will enjoy this book.
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all dark. It does stretch the reader's imagination though. I believe when God is working anything can happen and will. But it is a bit of a stretch to think that everything just falls into place by little coincidences? Lots of surprises in this book.I think my favorite thing about this book is that she shares more about the folks back in Mitford. It is not in Mitford at all, and those characters are not really part of the story. There's not even a lot of Cynthia in this book. But, I was really frustrated with the last of Dooley's siblings showing up in the last sentence of the last book with NO details! This book fills in a bit of the information I was wanting!
If you are a Mitford fan, I am sure you will enjoy this book.
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LibraryThing member reannon
I always underestimate Jan Karon, and expect too little of her as a storyteller, and she always surprises me with her quality. Take this story... it is the story of Father Tim's childhood in Holly Springs, Mississippi, which was a time of severe racial oppression in that place. I had misgivings
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that she would downplay the oppression, and indeed the ugliness of it isn't as deeply felt as in some works. Yet Karon explores the complexity of racial relations through complex and well-portrayed family relationships. Recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
A great new book from Jan Karon, in my opinion. It was nice to get some updates on old familiar friends from Mitford, and even more interesting to learn more about Father Tim - see what he was like as a child, what his family was like. Some beautiful stuff about learning to turn our lives over to
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God. For those who are faithful, God is such a strength - and it is so difficult to explain to anyone who isn't. Show Less
LibraryThing member lasperschlager
It's been a number of years since I've read a Jan Karon book and thought I'd give her new series a try. It was nice to learn more about Father Tim and have a different setting and new characters. I really started to enjoying it about 3/4 of the way through, once things started coming together and
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wrapping up. Looking forward to Book 2 in the series! Show Less
LibraryThing member KPW
While billed as a "new series," if you're not a devotee to Mitford, don't bother. References to all the old characters are here. The Mitford series was very pleasant; this is a rehash.
LibraryThing member CoraJoanBurgett
Father Tim,, the beloved retired Episcopal priest is back. In response to a mysterious summons, he's taking a trip down "memory lane" to his hometown of Holly Spring, Mississippi. His journey is filled with colorful characters, heartfelt insights, and plenty of laughs -- as well as surprising
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secrets. Show Less
LibraryThing member seoulful
Although it has been my experience that the Mitford books placed by the author in a setting other than Mitford have been less successful, Home to Holly Springs is a certain exception. For those of us who have loved the series, this book gives a very satisfying understanding of the background of
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Father Tim. It explains to us as well as to Father Tim the reasons behind so many of his quirks and fears which had only been hinted at in this nine book series. We meet new characters whose language, wit, and personalities match the best of the Mitford characters. Perhaps all the puzzle pieces come together too neatly during Father Tim's journey to his childhood home, but maybe that's the reason we leave our own broken worlds and return again and again to the warmth and happy endings found in these books. Show Less
LibraryThing member milibrarian
Father Tim leaves Mitford, NC and returns to the town where he grew up, Holly Springs, MS. This book has a slow start but provides a lot of background on Tim's youth and family. The pace picks up in the last half. This is not as good as the Mitford series, but provides a lot of background for
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future stories. Show Less
LibraryThing member MrsLee
This is the book many of us have been waiting for. Father Tim is finally going to make peace with his past, or at least confront it. He receives a mysterious note in the mail and feels led to travel back to the town of his birth. What he will find there is anybodies guess.
I will be the first to say
I will be the first to say
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that these books are an ideal. Everything works out the way it should, the way we want it to. Realistic? No. Restful? Yes. I simply feel good reading them, basking in the faith and love of the characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member bibliotecara
This is an excellent companion to the Mitford series and a good look at the childhood experiences and relationships that made Father Tim who he is. It's a well-written and insightful look at what it means to go home and the role that our past plays in shaping our present, as well as the overarching
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power and love of God for each of us. Show Less
LibraryThing member debs4jc
Nobody does heartwarming better than Jan Karon. In this installment Father Tim goes back to his hometown of Holly Springs after getting a mysterious unsigned note that says simpley "come home". He meets several colorful characters there, gets to stay in his childhood home, and as he encounters
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people from his past (sometimes in too convenient ways) the story of his troubled past is revealed--as well as several anwers to questions that have haunted him for years. For an uplifting heartfelt story filled with faith you can't do better. Show Less
LibraryThing member reeread
Balm for the soul. Father Tim goes on a journey (with Barnabas) to his childhood home after 38 years when he receives a note which simply says "Come home". Intrigued and with some trepidation, he returns to make some incredible discoveries which will change his life forever.
LibraryThing member Toastysmom
Can we really go home again? Father Tim and his enormous dog, Barbabas, travel to Holly Springs, in search of ....What? Most of Tim's friends are dead and buried in the cemetery on the hill. Some of his favorite haunts, like the drug store, and hardware store are still open, and some folk who
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remember his folk are still there, but what will Father Tim, the easuy going affable retired priest find in his brief but nostalgic journy home? Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
I really enjoyed the Mitford series, so I picked up this audiobook expecting more of the same. While this book revisits many loved characters and introduces many more equally memorable ones, the story of Father Tim's boyhood in Holly Springs is very different from quaint and comfortable Mitford.
Overall, I thought this a good, comfortable sort of book. I liked the story itself, but felt that some plot points were overly contrived.
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Father Tim goes to Holly Springs in response to a cryptic, unsigned note left at his home. The narrative moves between this present day story of what occurs when he revisits his boyhood home and his memories of growing up in Holly Springs. His memories are not always pleasant, yet themes of love and family are as present in this story as in the earlier series. And, as is extra-important in audiobooks, the narrator was excellent, with a clearly unique voice for each character (though I sometimes questioned his choices as I, for one, imagined Cynthia's voice quite different...).Overall, I thought this a good, comfortable sort of book. I liked the story itself, but felt that some plot points were overly contrived.
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LibraryThing member judycsauer
Astonishing "prequel" to the Father Tim in North Carolina series. Many painful memories explained, lots of loose ends tied up, friends and family gathered, excellent dialogue; however, too neatly woven with all problems solved- turning a little sappy at the end.
LibraryThing member marient
After more than thiry -eight years, Father Tim Kavanagh returns to his childhood home of Holly Springs, Mississippi, on a profoundly personal journey.
LibraryThing member Suzieqkc
I had read all of the books in the Mitford series by the time this title was published. I felt like I already knew all that I needed to know about Father Tim, the Episcopal priest in the small town of Mitford. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I loved this book. It's two years since I ready it
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and I can't wait for the next title in the series to come out. Show Less
LibraryThing member thornton37814
I enjoyed Karon's latest book although it's written differently than her Mitford series. I really was surprised that even though she'd never visited Holly Springs until she began writing the book that she did a pretty good job of capturing the town as I remember it roughly 38 years ago (and even
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present-day). Show Less
LibraryThing member dara85
I read this for a book discussion at work. I have never read Jan Karon before. I think my group will like it. The subject was interesting enough and maybe I was just not into the book and missed some things. I thought it was confusing and it switched from the present to the past, suddenly. Once he
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found Peggy I really enjoyed the book, just too much leading up to it. Show Less
LibraryThing member lhaines56
this was a goooood book. we got to know the REAL father tim. we got to see the imperfections behind the man. him without his wife and friends. very interesting and page turning.
LibraryThing member E.allison
Loved all of the books in the Mitford series. I'm In the middle of Home to Holly Springs with In the Company of Others waiting on my nightstand. A charming series
LibraryThing member MountMich
Father Tim receives a letter from his childhood home of Holly Springs Mississippi (?). The letter simply says "come home". So he takes his good dog Barnabas and returns to Holly Springs. He meets a number of people from his childhood, and learns a lot more about his beloved mother, his feared and
A nice, gentle story - well except for the bits about the terrible lives and treatment of the black people who lived around Holly Springs as Tim's parents were growing up.
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indifferent father, and solves mysteries of "what became of..."A nice, gentle story - well except for the bits about the terrible lives and treatment of the black people who lived around Holly Springs as Tim's parents were growing up.
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Awards
Christy Awards (Nominee — 2008)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2007
Physical description
355 p.; 6.28 inches
ISBN
0670018252 / 9780670018253