Hard-core fans of Karon's fictional Mitford will welcome her latest offering, a sequel of sorts to Patches of Godlight
. Like Patches,
this "commonplace book" collects favorite quotations of Karon's protagonist Father Tim on things quotidian and spiritual. Everything from John Wesley's "Direction for Singing" to witticisms by Lauren Bacall are here. Book lovers will delight in the musings about books, such as the Italian proverb "There is no worse robber than a bad book." There are reflections on aging, a few felicitous selections from Proverbs and some wise instructions about prayer. Father Tim (and Karon) are nothing if not well read: other sources of wisdom in this slender volume include Thomas Jefferson, George Herbert, Episcopal priest Barbara Brown Taylor, William Shakespeare, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, St. Augustine, Epictetus and Dorothy Sayers. And, of course, there's a good dose of Oswald Chambers, one of Father Tim's favorite devotional writers (Chambers is often quoted in the Mitford novels, as well). The book's design is delightful; most of the quotations appear in a font meant to resemble Father Tim's hand (scrawling, yes, but not too hard to read), with the occasional quotation typed on his trusty Royal manual and faux-taped into this book. Even folks who have never journeyed to Mitford will enjoy Karon's enchanting collection of insightful quotations. (Mar.)
