2006-01-06 When there's never enough...

Jan Karon is a wonderful author, having produced over half a dozen books in the Mitford series, the chronicle of life in the mythical town of Mitford, which centres upon the character of Fr. Tim Kavanagh. This book is not part of that series, but rather a companion (and the second volume of the companion, at that). Around the primary series are gift books and addenda that include 'The Mitford Snowmen', the 'Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader', and the first volume of Fr. Tim's quotes collection, 'Patches of Godlight'.

This book is done in the style of an actual, handwritten quote diary or journal. The printing is done as if it had been inscribed, sometimes carefully and sometimes hurriedly, with even the odd post-it note (printed on the page, to be sure) that include various things that struck the fancy of Fr. Tim (and, by extension, Jan Karon) during the course of the stories in the Mitford cycle. These include names one would certainly expect of an Episcopal priest - C.S. Lewis, John Donne, George Herbert, Martin Luther, etc. It also includes names one might not expect - Dolly Parton, Victor Borge, Cole Porter and Dinah Shore! There are snippets from the Book of Common Prayer, quotes (sometimes with commentary) from the Bible, and even things seen on a t-shirt.

Perhaps my favourite quote inscribed here is from Benjamin Jowett, an Anglican priest and scholar: 'My dear child, you must believe in God in spite of what the clergy tell you.'

A fun companion to the Mitford novels.