Home to Enjoyment!
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What can I say....yet another wonderful novel by Mr. Gulley. Ahhh...to find that place of "Harmony" in your own heart...that is what happens in all of the "Harmony" books. Mr. Gulley artfully gives all of us permission to go to a simpler time and go home to where God touches the center of our soul not only with entertainment but with touches of grace, faith and perserverence. Kudos....many times over for Mr. Gulley's willingness to create and invite us all Home to Harmony!
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Somewhat amusing but ultimately unfulfilling
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I picked up Phil Gulley's "Home to Harmony" expecting to read a decent novel. You know, a book with a beginning, an end, something resembling a plot in the middle, and memorable characters. What I got instead was a series of slightly amusing parables full of a bunch of ultimately forgettable characters. Each chapter read like a modern day episode of "Leave it to Beaver." Instead of Wally and the Beav, we have Sam Gardner and the gang performing some sort of inoffensive hijinks or helping a fellow townsperson with some problem followed by a little religious moral at the end of each chapter. Actually, forget the plot and give me some interesting characters at least. The only two besides Sam that I can even remember are Dale Hinshaw and Bob, the guy that published the newspaper. I mean I'm glad that this type of book exists as a pleasant alternative for church going folk that are fed up with the violence and cursing they are constantly subjected to from the secular world. But as an open minded reader of many different types of fiction, I can safely say that this is just not a very good book. No real plot, no character development, a few chuckles here and there. If I had known ahead of time that it was just a bunch of strung together vignettes I wouldn't have bothered reading it. Ultimately, it's the kind of thing you read and forget about ten minutes later.
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A Delight!
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What a delightful book! I really enjoyed it and related to the characters on a personal level. First, my father is an Episcopal Minister, and trust me, there is a Dale Hinshaw in every church! I was laughing out loud at some of the characters because they ring so true. I also went to a Quaker boarding school for high school, so I could relate to issues within the church itself. Very quick and witty read! I definately recommend it!
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A close second to Jan Karon!
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I loved this town. I thought all the characters were wonderful and I couldn't put it down! I need to read more books like this!
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Harmony-a Place Close to Your Hometown & Heart
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If you ever read Sherwood Anderson's 'Winesburg, Ohio' or tuned-in to Public Radio for a night of Garrison Kiellor's 'Prairie Home Companion,' you would certainly take a liking to Philip Gulley's down-home tales in 'Home to Harmony.' Gulley takes us back to a time when we were all young and small being with loved ones-in a small town, sitting on the front porch after supper, watching the sun go down on another day. The sky in beautiful hue of orange and pink. You can hear the crickets serenade. In the distance you can hear a neighbor's door shut. The porch is a time of the conversation-listening story after story. Gulley takes us the again into every season of the year where life shimmers at every corner. Gulley reflects on his own life experiences some told by his grandfather with all the warmth and humor in each story. Imagine a tiny town where you bearly notice on a road atlas. Gulley portrays himself as Sam Gardner, a Quaker pastor of Harmony Friends Meeting. Sam's life begins as he's chose by the folks of Harmony after the passing of their former pastor. Sam speaks of his first year leading his hometown church. From there the reader and Sam join in some of the most heartwarming and funniest characters and situations you'll ever know. Makes you wish there was a Harmony near you. Experience life and adventure in small-town revival and the laughable incongruity of Billy Bundle, former wrestling champ billed as the "World's Shortest Evangelist." Get to know every cherished and sometimes oddball letters printed in Bob Miles Jr.'s Harmony Herald's controversial "Bobservation Post," much like the Reader's forum in some local newspaper you know of. When the day slows down visit the Legal Grounds Coffee Cup where a painting of the Last Supper hangs on the wall behind the buffet. Just think, Jesus and His disciples gazing over the salad bar. There's always some fish story to fry at the Coffee Cup. Namely the swordfish that appeared in Vinny Toricelli's pond-referred to the Loch Ness of Harmony. Sam's best friend from childhood, Uly Grant a direct descendant of Ulysses S. Grant whose son settled in Harmony, married a Quaker and opened the Grant Hardware Emporium. According to some historians, whether it was all true or not-we leave that to your opinion. Each place in Harmony town square has it's own reminiscences through every page. Each one entertaining to bring back some old memories of your old hometown. Reminds one of simple and ordinary moments of life that are treasured sacred gifts of faith, hope and love we have in family and friends. If you want to settle into a gentle, heartwarming, faith-inspired world and escape the rat race-then come home to Harmony. Here you'll meet colorful characters, hiliarious mishaps and a moral to encourage you. If you love 'Home to Harmony' you'll equally be smitten with 'Just Shy of Harmony,' 'Signs and Wonders: a Novel,' 'Christmas in Harmony,' 'Hometown Tales,' 'Front Porch Tales' and 'For Everything a Season.'
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