A Common Life

by Jan Karon

Series: Mitford Years (6)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
1,527	15	4,415	(3.94)	20

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Showing 1-5 of 15 (next | show all)

This short novel tells the story of Tim & Cynthia's wedding. From the proposal to the honeymoon, there are little glimpses of how the significant events occurred - Tim asking Cynthia to marry him, how they shared the news, who helped them celebrate. I liked that some of the chapters were from other points of view - I particularly enjoyed Cynthia's reflections of how they met and how she fell in love. (

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tjsjohanna | Dec 18, 2012 |

A Common Life is a step back chronologically in the Mitford series. It tells the story of Father Tim and Cynthia's wedding, from the proposal to the honeymoon. Now that the series is complete, readers have a choice between reading in chronological order and in publication order. I'm glad I'm reading in publication order, since this book allowed me to spend time with characters who passed away later in the series, and to remember just how much Dooley Barlowe has matured over the course of the series. If you're new to the series, this isn't the place to start. First get to know Father Tim, Cynthia, and the residents of Mitford in other books in the series, and then you'll be ready to celebrate with them. (

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cbl_tn | Nov 10, 2011 |

This story if perfect for anyone who believes in laughter, relies on hope, and celebrates love. This 6th book answers..will Father Tim fall apart when he takes his vows, Will Cynthia make ti to church on time? All the characters will be there.......

SABC | Mar 12, 2011 |

About the wedding - a little boring. (

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jepeters333 | Aug 16, 2010 |

I read book number 2 first. When i realized i had a gem on my hands i went back until i found all books in the series and read them in order. i have now read them a total of 3 times. These books really make you feel at home, comfortable, makes you want to be just like Father Tim (

)

tramthum | Mar 17, 2010 |

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Series (with order)

Mitford Years (6)

Canonical title

A Common Life

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

People/Characters

Father Tim Kavanagh

Cynthia Coppersmith

Important places

Mitford, North Carolina, USA

Important events

Related movies

Awards and honors

Christianity Today Book Awards (Fiction, 2002)

New York Times bestseller (Fiction, 2001)

Publishers Weekly Bestseller (Fiction, 2001)

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

Father Timothy Kavanagh stood at the stone wall on the ridge above Mitford, watching the deepening blush of a late June sunset.

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Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0142000345, Paperback)

A Common Life is a trip back in time for fans of "the little town with the big heart." Somewhere between the second and third volumes of Jan Karon's Mitford Years series, dyed-in-the-wool bachelor Father Timothy Kavanagh and his next-door neighbor Cynthia Coppersmith tied the knot. The author left it to readers' imaginations to fill in the blanks. In this delightful story, Karon paints a complete picture of the events surrounding the wedding of Mitford's best-loved couple, and chronicles the poignant and often hilarious reactions to the nuptial news by the tightly knit North Carolina community.

All the details cherished by those who are enchanted by weddings are offered here, from the color of the bridal outfit (aquamarine) to the choice of flowers (virgin's bower and hydrangeas). When the wedding bells finally ring, the pews are packed with the people who make Mitford special: ornery Uncle Billy, delightful Miss Sadie, indispensable Louella, and the cantankerous Emma Newland. And there's not a dry eye in the house when Father Tim's problematic foster child Dooley Barlowe sings for the two people who love him the most.

A Common Life is not just a wedding story. It's also an intimate portrait of the unfolding love between Cynthia and the shy Father Tim, complete with fears and hesitations, professions of commitment, and Barnabas the dog delivering love letters. But there's nothing heavy-handed here. The tensions don't run any higher than wondering if Cynthia will make it to the wedding on time after getting locked inside her own bathroom, or guessing if Esther will make her famous three-layer orange marmalade cake for the reception. Told in the warm, down-home style that Karon has built her reputation on, A Common Life is sweet without being saccharine, charming without being cloying. It's an invitation to a literary reunion of the best kind, and like all weddings, it will probably coax a few tears and plenty of smiles. --Cindy Crosby

(retrieved from Amazon Tue, 19 Apr 2011 03:49:18 -0400)

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▾Library descriptions

The creator of the Mitford stories goes back through time to relate the wedding of Father Tim Kavanagh to Cynthia Coppersmith.

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