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94th out of 241 books
—
150 voters
The Lilies of the Field
One of the most beloved of modern classics returns with a beautiful new cover. The enchanting story of two unlikely friends, a black ex-GI and the head of a group of German nuns, The Lilies of the Field tells the story of their impossible dream--to build a chapel in the desert.
Paperback, 128 pages
Published
July 29th 1988
by Grand Central Publishing
(first published January 1st 1962)
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I picked up this novella because of my reading of Sidney Poitier's The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography. Poitier portayed the main character from this book.
This short treatise tells the story of a young man, an ex-soldier who has just left the Army and has no definite plans, who stumbles across a group of nuns who have been sent to an out of the way area to build a church. The nuns were escapees from Communist Germany, and are working hard to survive in this new area. The soldier, Ho...more
This short treatise tells the story of a young man, an ex-soldier who has just left the Army and has no definite plans, who stumbles across a group of nuns who have been sent to an out of the way area to build a church. The nuns were escapees from Communist Germany, and are working hard to survive in this new area. The soldier, Ho...more
2.5 stars.
Homer Smith is a black Baptist ex-GI. Carefree and wandering, he doesn't like to be tied down. He roves around and stops in towns, does an odd job here and there and moves on. But when he stumbles on the small town of North Fork he finds something more to stay for; a small group of nuns with a dream: to build a chapel.
Enter Mother Maria Marthe, the Reverend Mother of the order of Catholic German nuns. She has a mission and nothing is going to stand her way; be it financial troubles, l...more
Homer Smith is a black Baptist ex-GI. Carefree and wandering, he doesn't like to be tied down. He roves around and stops in towns, does an odd job here and there and moves on. But when he stumbles on the small town of North Fork he finds something more to stay for; a small group of nuns with a dream: to build a chapel.
Enter Mother Maria Marthe, the Reverend Mother of the order of Catholic German nuns. She has a mission and nothing is going to stand her way; be it financial troubles, l...more
The beautiful, deeply moving story of a group of German nuns struggling in earthly goods (but bountiful in Faith) in a small southwestern town and the strong, young African-American man named Homer Smith who happens upon them one day during his travels. Homer loves being a wanderer, free, not tied down to anyone or any job--he has made the back of his station wagon into a bed, takes odd jobs here and there, and travels the country enjoying life. Yet something about the nuns makes him stay. It's...more
6 likes · like · see review
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Jun 24, 2009
booklady
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
children...of ALL ages
Shelves:
1980s,
1990s,
all-ages,
classic,
fiction,
historical-fiction,
must-have,
prayer,
worth-reading-over-and-over,
young-children,
youth
I have one of the first editions of this book. The pages are turning brown and it won't withstand much handling but that's to be expected because it's coming up on fifty years old.
The Lilies of the Field is a deceptively simple story about a group of German nuns who truly believe in the Gospel message, 'Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the g...more
The Lilies of the Field is a deceptively simple story about a group of German nuns who truly believe in the Gospel message, 'Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the g...more
1 like · like · see review
Short, simple (or maybe not so simple) story of faith, love, and service. The nuns were endearing (Mother Maria Marthe and Sister Albertine, the artist, especially). Homer Smith (Schmidt), of course, was a very interesting character. His motivations for building a chapel for the nuns are worthy of thought and discussion. All of the other donations of time and labor for the nuns were fascinating too. Why did people do it? Are there parallels in my life?
Other parts I want to remember include phono...more
Other parts I want to remember include phono...more
1 like · like · see review
For me, the stars aligned on this novella. It was a perfect way to end my summer reading. Despite being bite-sized - I finished the whole thing while the little one napped - the book gave me a lot to think about and had a satisfying, but not-too-pat, ending. The writing was spot on for the story: simple without being simplistic. The characters were not very complex, but they were not caricatures either. They seemed nicely human and real, especially after some of the pop-fiction I have been readi...more
Jul 29, 2010
Alison
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
looking for clean, inspiring tale
Recommended to Alison by:
bought it cheap; Sidney Poitier movie
Sweet, uplifting tale about an African American ex-GI who is traveling across country in his station wagon with a bed in the back enjoying his youth and freedom. He comes across a group of nuns, and a battle of wills begins--a battle between him in his desire to be free and a staunch German nun who feels that he is sent from God to build them a new chapel (and that therefore he, naturally, belongs to them for God's purposes).
This short novel is surprisingly deep and says alot about faith and vir...more
This short novel is surprisingly deep and says alot about faith and vir...more
2 likes · like · see review
A short novel published in 1962. A young black man leaves the army (just before WWII or just after, it isn’t clear) and travels around the country in his station wagon. He stops in the southwest somewhere and is recruited to help build a small church for 4 nuns who have recently immigrated from communist Germany. Not a great novel but a good story of how we are enriched when get involved in others' lives. A movie was made based on this book.
I would recommend the book The Lilies of the Fields to...more
I would recommend the book The Lilies of the Fields to...more
A story told in 127pps. of humanity, across cultural, color, religious lines is a work of art. The movie later based on this short story of a Black man and his encounters with four German nuns in the west, do more to dispel prejudice than any politician or law or even your parents poisonous admonishments about people who look different from you could ever do. Glad that I read this classic at the beginning of 2011, hope I can keep in my heart the lessons taught of working together for a common go...more
Though I hadn't heard of it before, I came across the small book in the classics section at my library. Based on the fact that obviously someone felt it deserved classic status, I took it home to read. And let me just say that I certainly am not in the same opinion as whoever labeled this book "classic."
"The Lilies of the Field" is about a man named Homer Smith, a former GI, who now lives doing odd jobs and enjoying the freedom of the road and sleeping in his station wagon. However, all of this...more
"The Lilies of the Field" is about a man named Homer Smith, a former GI, who now lives doing odd jobs and enjoying the freedom of the road and sleeping in his station wagon. However, all of this...more
A short novel published in 1962. A young black man leaves the army (just before WWII or just after, it isn’t clear) and travels around the country in his station wagon. He stops in the southwest somewhere and is recruited to help build a small church for 4 nuns who have recently immigrated from communist Germany. Not a great novel but a good story of how we are enriched when get involved in other’s lives. A movie was made based on this book. Margaret also checked this out of the Provo library fo...more
I inherited this little book from my Granny, when she was cleaning out her shelves. Last night I was bored and wanted something to read, so I picked it up. What a pleasant surprise! It's a heartwarming, quick, gripping classic that I finished by the end of the night. What I want to know is why it isn't more commonly read in high schools. And how I can find a copy of the 1963 movie starring Sydney Poitier, for which he won an Oscar.
I read this little gem decades ago and came across it again in the free shelf at the local library. This time I'm hanging on ... well, I'll pass it on to my family with the thought that (maybe) I'll get it back. If not, hopefully the book just keeps finding its way down the road and picks up some new fans. William E. Barrett's The Lilies of the Field will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2012.
the most unlikely pairing - a group of German nuns living in a remote southwestern part of the US who can't speak very good English -- and a recently discharged black GI. He teaches them English and they persuade him to help build their chapel. A mere slip of a book and a decades old movie with Sidney Poitier; this is a little gem waiting to be re-discovered for its simplicity and wisdom.
I really loved this little book. The main character, Homer Smith, defines freedom for us. He lives in each day as it comes, doing "the next right thing." Did his easy following of his intuition, or God's will, just come naturally to him? The writer never says. He goes through difficult emotions, but then lets them go. Great instruction on how to live.
I picked up this book at the secondhand shop when I stumbled up on it a few weeks after seeing the film version of it. I enjoyed the sparse prose and the simple narration. I have to say, I think the film is superior mostly thanks to Sidney Poitier's outstanding performance, but the book is no waste of time. I wish I had read it when I was younger.
Lightning Fast read but long lasting effect! I read this with my eldest daughter for a book/movie study and it was a perfect book/movie to compare with a group of 12 & 13 year olds. The movie was delightful as well. Great discussion about the stern and proud Mother Superior and her inability to express gratitude. The biggest plus was that one of the girls who rarely reads told me that she polished it off in one sitting and loved it!! Now she wants to know if there are other suggestions. . ....more
I really enjoyed this. It was very short but didn't feel rushed at all; in fact, the pacing was very nice for the type of book it is. It did a marvelous job of letting you figure out the meanings for yourself and gave the reader a nice feeling. I would recommend it to others and might even read it to my kids when they're older.
I rarely see the movie before I read the book, but I never pass up an opportunity to see Sidney Poitier. And in this case it didn't matter. Both the book and the film are excellent. Both are full of grace and beautifully done.
Wonderfully titled. I always appreciate that.
Wonderfully titled. I always appreciate that.
I picked up this novella for free from an honour library because it had a captivating cover: a nun stands staring into the distance while a black man crouches beside her, pointing. It was a short, sweet and simple read with a deep message. Probably worth a second read.
I did like this book and I didn't want to put it down, but I've read better books. I do think that this is a good writer and I did enjoy the humor but it just didn't stick. I would think that this book is for 3rd graders maybe. I finished it in a day.
"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you. That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6:28
This is a touching story of an itinerant black man named Homer who helps a group of German nuns build a chapel in the middle of the desert. This is such a beautiful story and I reread it every few years it's a really quick read too).
An all-time favorite book later made into a rather fabulous movie with Sidney Poitier in the main role. Favorite part of the book: communication between the traveller (English speaker) and German nuns by citing bible passages.
Although it's really only a short story, it is the perfect length. It is a bare bones treatment of a principle of faith and the faithful who make results happen. Any padding of length would have detracted from the message.
The Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett is written in clear prose with complex, realistic characters. The story (or legend) begins with Homer Smith, a black man, a traveler, who was recently discharged from the army and arrives in his station wagon in the southwest. It is here he meets a group of German Catholic nuns who are building a fence around a small statue and a privy, a sight of which Homer doesn't understand. Homer Smith, the author writes, is a man who "...lived his life one day...more
mall book, like a folk story. A black worker helps 3 German nuns build a church. The head nun reminded me of my mother-in-law. Cute. Considered as one of the must-read books in American culture.
I hadn't read this book in many many years. I enjoyed it even more this time. I love how this book deals gracefully with the issues of freedom, religion, race, and basic human decency. A very short book, it can be enjoyed in one extended sitting.
A very short novel, but somehow it felt as satisfying as a full-sized novel. The author got across his ideas, and I, as a writer, must re-read it to see how he did it in fewer words!
So far so good.
**********************
This is such a short book but definitely worth reading. The story is touchy, funny and the message was great.
Highly recommended!
**********************
This is such a short book but definitely worth reading. The story is touchy, funny and the message was great.
Highly recommended!
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Willam Edmund Barrett was born in New York City in 1900. He was Roman Catholic which is reflected strongly in his works. On February 15, 1925 he was married to Christine M. Rollman.
He attended Manhatten college. In 1941 he became an aeronautics consultant for Denver Public Library.
He was a member of PEN and the Authors League of America, and also the National Press Club of Washington, D.C. He was...more
More about William Edmund Barrett...
He attended Manhatten college. In 1941 he became an aeronautics consultant for Denver Public Library.
He was a member of PEN and the Authors League of America, and also the National Press Club of Washington, D.C. He was...more
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