Out to Canaan

The Episcopal rector in Mitford, Father Tim, is no huge fan of change. So he isn't keen on a new mayoral candidate making a big noise about improving the small town—through change. Plus, all of the new, sudden, out-of-town offers to buy up Mitford properties don't look too safe either. And the prospect of retirement is starting to stare Timothy down his sixty-something throat in Out to Canaan by author Jan Karon.

Here I've gone for another visit to a comfy locale that never sleeps (though it's sort of in bed by eleven) in this fourth novel in The Mitford Years series. Here I've had another jaunt that's given me a new bundle of surprises along the way.

I thought to myself as I read this one, "Karon truly has a gift." A novel like this show more could be so totally corny and thoroughly predictable, but this isn't. It's hilarious here, tender there, romantic without being sappy, and delightful without everything being quick and easy and perfect for the characters.

Yes, Mitford has its share of small-town quirks and quirky folks, but the stuff happening to these people is real-life stuff. I had laughs, I had tears, and moments when I had to pause and let certain events sink in.

Gee. It's one of my favorite novels of the series so far. show less

Book jacket synopsis: * Father Tim, the Episcopal rector, and his talented and vivacious wife, Cynthia, are pondering the murky uncertainties of retirement. They're also trying to locate the4 scattered siblings of Dooley Barlowe, the mountain boy they love as their own. A brash new mayoral candidate is calling for aggressive development, and a tough survivor must hunker down for the fight of her life. Worse, the Sweet Stuff Bakery may be closing, and a suspicious real estate agent is trying to turn the beloved house on the hill into a spa. Can change be coming to Mitford? The buzz on Main Street says yes. Change is certainly coming to the tenderest regions of several townspeople's lives. A woman struggles every day to stay on course show more after years of hard living. A man tries to forgive himself for a tragic mistake. And the town's most eligible bachelor leaves Mitford- and returns with a stunning surprise.*

This is the 4th book in the Mitford series by Jan Karon. I have found that I really enjoy these books. They are easy reads and the characters are slightly eccentric with everyday problems and I find them lovable. I also find myself wondering what will happen next in their lives. Father Tim always has a prayer and the complete faith that everything will work out the way it is supposed to, for good or ill. I love his blind faith and these books always leave me with higher spirits and a sense of faith and trust in life. show less

I continue to enjoy Karon’s wonderful slice of American life. Mitford continues to charm me, with the affable and sometimes bumbling Father Tim, his practical and supportive wife Cynthia and the memorable characters that comprise the town’s citizens as a whole. The story this time focuses on the scramble of Father Tim’s approaching retirement, a mayoralty race that has the town folk buzzing with opinions, and other changes and challenges that one would expect to encounter in a sleepy, close-knit community. Easy reading to escape the reality busy work weeks, demanding deadlines and the never-ending crush of errands. It is great to “experience” Father Kavanagh’s charge, young Dooley Barlowe, growing up. I found the scene where show more Father Tim tries to explain the “birds and the bees” to Dooley to be a hoot, second only to Father Tim’s experiences getting haircuts – and a facial! – at the hands of the non-stop talking Fancy.

As with any series, a reader will get the most enjoyment by reading the books in series order. What not to like? Well, the only thing that is starting to wear a bit thin with me is how Father Tim calls his wife Cynthia “Kavanagh” whenever he praises or cajoles her. I realize that Father Tim is in his early 60’s and all, but I find it odd that the “pet” name that Karon has ascribed to Cynthia in the stories is Father Tim’s last name and not something that would be unique or specific to her. Let just say this makes my nose twitch as not something I would consider endearing if my other half started to refer to me by his last name in the same way as Father Tim does with Cynthia. Otherwise, another good visit to with the fine folks of Mitford.

Overall, looking forward to continuing the series. show less

Mitford is one of my favorite fictional places, and I was glad to return in Out to Canaan. Perhaps it is because I have done the retirement thing twice before and unretired both times that this book resonated with me. Perhaps it is because I have known these people, or their doppelgangers, and remember them fondly. Perhaps it is because of the faith that permeates the book. I loved it.

Start at the beginning of the series. Keep on going. It is highly recommended for people who enjoy wholesome fiction.

Drawings thankfully show Father Timothy without double chins!

Despite near-miraculous conversions, the plot moves forward pleasantly and with more humor.

Garden descriptions are inspiring.

Still a mystery: why not hire people to move heavy furniture in house?

A continuation of the wonderful Mitford series. We watch the continued growth of Dooley and the painful gathering and healing of his unfortunate family; we witness the abject despair and rebirth of Buck; we enjoy Cynthia writing another Violet book; some old friends depart this earth and then comes a magical Christmas Eve with Dooley's first experience in driving a car, snow falling and an unusual foursome of men driving around Mitford to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

In the fourth book in the Mitford series, Cynthia and Dooley are no longer primary characters. The protagonist is decidedly Father Tim Kavanaugh, his wife and adopted son joining dozens of other Mitford citizens as the people in the community who fill his life. There is no single, driving plot through the book. Like life in the small town of Mitford, it is a casual, meandering stroll up and down the aisles of many story lines, no one of which stands out as a main focus. This is not a drawback in this book, although for me it did make it take longer to read, because without a propelling plot line, it was an easy book to put down, even though I was enjoying reading it. So a book I would normally read in four or five days ended up taking show more two weeks. I enjoyed the stories and characters immensely; just didn't ever feel like I just had to find out what happened next before I put the book down for the night. show less