The Faith of Dolly Parton: Lessons from Her Life to Lift Your Heart

Delffs (The Prayer-Centered Life) channels his love for singer Dolly Parton into a spiritual biography as sturdy and fluffy as her signature wigs. “She keeps her faith simple, mostly private, and action-oriented,” Delffs writes in his introduction, before quickly describing Parton’s upbringing in a two-room cabin in Sevierville, Tenn., her roots singing in the choir of her grandfather’s church at the age of six, and meteoric rise through the Nashville music scene to become a star of country music. While Delffs does quote Parton crediting God with her success, much of his spiritual reflection comes from extrapolation. For instance, he turns to Parton’s literacy nonprofit Imagination Library as an example of humility and giving thanks. He uses her song “Coat of Many Colors” to think about connection to one’s roots, explaining his own story of moving away from Tennessee with his family, only to later move back, paralleling Parton’s own travels. Each chapter ends with a “Divine Dose of Dolly” that includes general study questions, prompts featuring one of her songs, and a pertinent prayer. Fans of Parton will enjoy Delffs’s chorus of unabashed praise for the over-the-top yet surprisingly down-to-earth country star. [em](June) [/em]