Home Fires Burning

by Robert Inman

Cantankerous Jake Tibbetts, editor of the town newspaper, struggles to find meaning in a world he thought he understood, when the Second World War shakes the lives of everyone in his small Southern community

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Southern, World War II

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Robert Inman’s new novel, The Governor’s Lady, is available now from John F. Blair Publishers. Drawing on his a career as a journalist and creative writer, Inman has crafted the story of Cooper Lanier, a determined woman fighting to establish her independence in the tumultuous world of male-dominated politics.

The Governor’s Lady is Inman’s fifth novel, following Home Fires Burning (1987), Old Dogs and Children (1991), Dairy Queen Days (1997), and Captain Saturday (2002), all published originally by Little, Brown and Company, and now available in popular e-book formats. He is also the author of a collection of non-fiction work, Coming Home: Life, Love and All Things Southern, and an illustrated family holiday book, The Christmas Bus.

Inman has written screenplays for six motion pictures for television, two of which have been “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentations. His script for The Summer of Ben Tyler, a Hallmark production, won the Writers’ Guild of America Award as the best original television screenplay of 1997. His other Hallmark feature was Home Fires Burning, a 1989 adaptation of his novel.

Inman’s first stage play, the musical comedy Crossroads, had its world premiere in 2003 at Blowing Rock Stage Company, a professional theatre in Blowing Rock, NC. His playwriting credits also include The Christmas Bus, Dairy Queen Days, Welcome to Mitford, A High Country Christmas Carol, The Christmas Bus: The Musical, and The Drama Club. Inman wrote the book, music and lyrics for Crossroads and The Christmas Bus: The Musical. Inman’s plays are published by Dramatic Publishing Company.

Robert Inman is a native of Elba, Alabama, where he began his writing career in junior high school with his hometown weekly newspaper. He left a 31-year career in television journalism in 1996 to devote full time to fiction writing.

He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The University of Alabama with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees. He has been selected as Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, and was inducted into the Alabama Communication Hall of Fame.

He is a member of the Authors Guild, Writers Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, PEN American Center, North Carolina Writers Conference, North Carolina Writers Network, and Alabama Writers Forum.

Inman and his wife, Paulette, live in Conover and Boone, North Carolina. They have two daughters: Larkin Ferris of Breckenridge, CO; and Lee Farabaugh of Atlanta.

Author's web site: www.robert-inman.com.

Reviews

[Irma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Sam A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book a lot! I've had the book for some time now and don't recall when or where I bought it or the reason other than he is a Southern writer and it looked interesting. After finally getting around to reading this I hope to read more of his work. Inman is a great storyteller and made me feel that I knew his characters well, some similar to them I've known in small towns in the South. The idiosyncrasies of the Tibbetts family, their friends and the townspeople may seem strange to those folks from other parts of the country, but growing up in the South myself, seem pretty normal or at least familiar. Robert Inman is now on my new favorite writers list.

[Jerry Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best reads I've had in a long time. The characters are very vibrant, Bob Inman makes the town come alive, and with each page, I became more enthralled. I liked this book so much that I went and bought a copy of my own and intend to read it again, something that I very rarely do. I cannot recommend it enough for someone who wants a good-hearted yet thoughtful read.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered Robert Inman after attending his theatrical production, Liberty Mountain, on July 4th this year. Liberty Mountain was a great show, taking complex topics on the theme of the Revolutionary War and making them easy enough for my 11yo to understand. Based on the theater, we bought this signed copy during intermission. The story about the lives of town-folk residing in a small town during WWII were rich with colorful characters and unique but relatable characters. Really enjoyed the book, and looking forward to reading some of his other stories.

[Kitty Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of Tibbetts family in World War II South. Jake, a newspaperman, observes his family and neighbors in thie tale of Southern rural life.

[Canavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✭✭✭

[Cheryl Redman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction, but more about human nature and the challenges of being part of a family and community than about WWII. I enjoyed the story.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much I have made sure I have all of his other books on my shelf to read soon. Wonderful characters, honest dialog, terrific imagery. You don't need to be a Southerner to recognize the town or its angst during WWII or actually anytime the world is changing and the citizens have little control over it. Loved this book.

[Steve Bender · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story about a small town Southern newspaper editor and the travails his family faced. It occurts during WWII. A streak of mental illness seems to follow the family as we learn about 5 generations. Recommended. Heartfelt family tale.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me at the first sentence, and I will look for this author every chance I can get. Loved every minute of reading he book.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jon Hassler vibes here, if Hassler characters planted in a small Southern town in World War II. Nostalgic but observant and sharp, as well. Love this cover and the "window on this world" art.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel of a southern town and strong well fleshed out characters.
If you like Pat Conroy type novels you might find this interesting.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

" 'Ah' Jake Tibbetts thought, 'we are all pilgrim souls here, all ragged wayfarers, stopping to huddle against the cold and dark around what we call our home fires. Does a man indeed learn anything? Only that his home is his own heart. And there he must abide.' "

Wow. After reading all the reviews, and having read Robert Inman's "Old Dogs and Children", I thought I knew what to expect. I was disappointed in this book at first. The story seemed to drag in the beginning; lots of characters, a little difficult to tell where the story was going, and the plot seemed a bit nebulous. But once it began to come together, I couldn't put the book down. One character that seemed to be more background than an integral part of the story emerged to put the pieces together for me. I'll carry this story with me from now on. The characters, I suspect, will come to be friends I knew when I was younger, and I'll wonder about them from time to time. I'm so very glad I read this book.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Home Fires Burning: A Novel was a book that I'd had for years and never read, but I wanted a book to read in between Book Club books so I chose this. There were times that I skimmed because the writing wasn't developing the story fast enough for me. I kept reading because I wanted to see how it ended. I liked that all the characters were dynamic and were participatory, but it was sometimes difficult to figure out which character was being described until I read on for quite a bit. One section that was really interesting and relevant to me was when Jake had his stroke...I just had a stroke a few months ago and Inman's description were so real I had to put the book aside for a bit. Since this was the first Inman book I've read I have a question for you readers who have read several/many of his books: are any of his books focused on females as main chars?acters rather than a supporting character

[Kelly Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite all-time books. The first "southern" book I read outside of a literature class. My grandmother had a signed hardback (not sure from where) and passed it along to me when I was home one weekend on a visit from Delaware. I was so hungry for the people: the voices, the humor, feeling of community.

[Mary Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home Fires Burning is my favorite book by Robert Inman. I loved reading about the interactions of the irascible grandfather, who was a character of a character!! and his family. I laughed out loud at some of the scenes that Inman created.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Newspaperman, WW2, historical...nice beach read

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. I spent years watching Bob Inman as a newscaster in Charlotte.