At Home in Mitford (Mitford Years, #1) in Around the World in 80 Books

Aug 03, 2022 Laura rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2022, buddy-reads

4.5 stars. I enjoyed this so much more than usual, because I read it with my sister. We listened to the John McDonough audio version, sped up to 1.4 😀 It was truly a pleasure. What a wonderful escape from everything. Thank you, Jan Karon!

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Mar 12, 2021 Linda Martin rated it really liked it

Shelves: families, 2021, classics, humor, christian, geo-north-carolina, friends, booktube-readalong

I can see why the Mitford series is so popular! This first book in the series is so down-home realistic and humor-filled and spiritually safe and sound, it is a pleasure to read. We get to meet Father Tim Kavanagh and his friends, a terrific but challenging dog, and take an observer's part in a very nice small town that is happy not to have tourist type income.

I too live in a very small town, about 1000 people, but Mitford (a fictional place) seems larger with a two-block nice business district I can see why the Mitford series is so popular! This first book in the series is so down-home realistic and humor-filled and spiritually safe and sound, it is a pleasure to read. We get to meet Father Tim Kavanagh and his friends, a terrific but challenging dog, and take an observer's part in a very nice small town that is happy not to have tourist type income.

I too live in a very small town, about 1000 people, but Mitford (a fictional place) seems larger with a two-block nice business district with gardens between the buildings. It is more established and solid than the wild West town I live in, here in the Northern California mountains near the Oregon border. Fictional Mitford is in the East Coast state of North Carolina and has had centuries to develop. It includes several denominational churches: Episcopalian, Baptist and Methodist. There's nothing like that here.

Father Tim is the Episcopalian rector... and I'll be the first to admit I know nothing about rectors, Episcopalians, or any other denomination. (I'm a nondenominational born again Christian, since 2013.) However Father Tim is a down to earth, even-tempered and friendly Christian servant who is a blessing to his town. It is nice to see what he does, who he talks to, what his secret thoughts are, and how he works hard to help the people of his town.

Father Tim often reminds people of Philippians 4:13 which is perfect for me because back at the beginning of 2021 I chose that very verse as my verse for the year. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." My word of the year is STRENGTH.... something I need due to things I'm going through right now. Is it any wonder that I'm blessed to read this book this year?

I normally do not like "Christian fiction" and definitely avoid romances, but this book by Jan Karon is so humorous and precious, it rises above what I thought "Christian fiction" could be. It is a portrait of a small town I'd love to live in and be part of. I decided to read the book because a group of Booktubers (YouTube book community people) formed a year-long readalong/readathon ... called "A Year In Mitford." The intent is to read as many of the Mitford series books as possible in a year. Together. With group video-visiting activities.

I didn't discover this until March 2021 and they were already reading the third book... so I got the audiobook for At Home in Mitford at listened to it at 160% speed which is possible because the reader is very, very slow. I was able to finish listening to this book in only about four days, and am moving on to book two which I'll experience in the same way. I want to read all of the first three books in this series by the end of March so I can participate in a group discussion.

The audiobook narrator is excellent. He has a gift for differentiating between the voices of many characters. I gave this book only four stars instead of five only because it lacks a cohesive plot. Still, it is a wonderful reading experience. ...more

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