High Bright Buggy Wheels

by Luella Creighton

Tillie Shantz had an arresting beauty; a strange, sure beauty that brought a hush to groups of young men as she went by. Like the other Mennonite girls, she had grown up solid and strong in the knowledge of a God who was always close at hand, and gladly accepted life as it was found between the sweet but rigid boundaries of faith. But then, in response to the vital force of George Bingham's personality, she discovered an exultation more precious and perfect than anything she had dared to dream, and was drawn into an unremitting struggle to reconcile her heritage with her powerful new hungers for color and music, gaiety and love. Peace between these warring impulses came with the help of her father, a devout man whose simplicity, and complexity, are tenderly and humorously portrayed.

342 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1951

Reviews

[Samuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Describes no discernable Mennonite group in Ontario.

[Carol Hinton]

I read this in 1955 when I was 12 years old. I enjoyed it as I still remember reading it 69:years later.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because it takes place in Canada, near Ontario, the area that my ancestors are from. I found the story to be somewhat difficult to read. Not because the language was difficult, but because I could empathize with both Tillie and her parents. My heart ached with her father and mother as they grieved over a child who chooses to leave their faith and follow a different path. Tillie is a good girl. She is not wild or rebellious. She doesn't choose sin over obedience. She chooses color, music, literature and creativity. New and broader ways, at least from the Mennonite point of view, of expressing herself. I appreciate that the author didn't make light of anyone's faith or feelings. All were treated with respect and understanding, pointing out the positive and good. The crisis is one of faith, of understanding God's love for His children, of parents and their children coming to understand and appreciate each other even when they disagree. In the end, a very thought-provoking read for what, I am sure, was considered a "light" book in its time.

[Deborah Stevenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes, what a piece of awful literature. This book was originally published in 1953 and was re-released and is now in circulation as part of Huron Counties library bookc lub choices. Once again the assumption is that because a Canadian wrote it we should applaud it.
The writing is laborious, just because the English language processes a huge number of words an author doesn't need to try and use them all. Less is more and in this case it is a shame she didn't take this to heart.
Characters are interesting, subject is interesting but style of writing is BORING, TEDIOUS AND WORDY.
In the end it just seemed to me like a long drawn out Harlequin Romance novel.
I am sure somewhere out there a Canadian author is writing or has written something that will entice me to keep attending my local library book club but this most certainly isn't it.