#45 At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

I have had At Home in Mitford on my shelf for about 4 years and even though my aunt told me that the books (it's the first of a series) were great and even though my mother-in-law read the first two and told me that they were great, I just couldn't bring myself to read one.  It always seemed that there was something more pressing to read or that I had to read a book a friend loaned me quickly and then return it, so the books (I actually have the first two in the series) just kept waiting there on the shelf for the day when I finally decided to pick one up and read it.  I did pick up the first one when I finished book #44 and it has taken me that long to get through this book. 

Here's the thing...the book is good.  I enjoyed the characters and the events kept me wanting to read more, but nothing about this book made me want to read it quickly.  After thinking about it, though, I wonder if that's the point?  MItford is a small town with small town characters that moves at a small town pace and so does the book.  It doesn't help that each chapter is broken into small sections, so you can get a certain amount of satisfaction from reading a small part and then putting the book down.  As a result, it took me a while to finish the book. 

Like I said, it was good.  I need to warn some readers that this book, and I think all of them in the series but I am not sure, has as it's main character Father Tim.  I think it does take a certain reader to want to read an entire book whose main character is an Episcopalian Priest.  I liked him and I think you will like him and all of his rather unique neighbors. 

This book did give me a new appreciation for Priests, Pastors, and Ministers.  I used to think that teachers had crazy jobs--low pay, demanding parents, crazy students--but now I am convinced that Priests, Pastors, and Ministers are the real people with the most demanding work on the planet.  They can't escape it ever and are on call 24 hours 7 days a week.  I realize now that hey rarely get a break and they are the ones who deserve it the most.  God Bless them all!

The question I keep asking myself is will I read any more of the books?  Yes, I think I will, but it will be a while.  The Mitford books are good ones to read when you have all of the time in the world.  They are the ones you carry around in your bag for weeks, reading little bits and pieces here and there and it doesn't matter if it takes weeks and weeks to finish a book.  I bet Jan Karon would like for us to read them that way.  So, yes, I will read more, but probably next year.  One Mitford book a year is good enough for me!