Rating: 
Summary: WASTE OF TIME
Review: After having read all of Jan Karon's books I had a taste for the same read - and mistakenly stumbled on this incredibly horrible series. Never Again - quote this raven. A minister who doesn't believe in God, a town full of malicious, gossipy, rude individuals - bad writing - this is the parallel universe to Mitford. Do NOT waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: WASTE OF TIME
Review: After having read all of Jan Karon's books I had a taste for the same read - and mistakenly stumbled on this incredibly horrible series. Never Again - quote this raven. A minister who doesn't believe in God, a town full of malicious, gossipy, rude individuals - bad writing - this is the parallel universe to Mitford. Do NOT waste your time.
Rating: 
Summary: Another trip to Harmony
Review: I have anxiously awaited the release of this second book in the Harmony series. It was like a visit with old friends to return to the small town of Harmony through Philip Gulley's unique style. While I enjoyed this visit, it was not as laugh out loud funny as the first one. There were some chuckles, but the overall tone of the book is much more serious. A lot of the characters are going through difficult times. It was worth reading, but not as fun as his Home to Harmony.
Rating: 
Summary: Another trip to Harmony
Review: I have anxiously waited for the release of this second in the Harmony series. It was like a visit with old friends to return to the small town of Harmony through Philip Gulley's unique style. While I enjoyed this visit, it was not as laugh out loud funny as the first one. There were some chuckles, but the overall tone of the book is much more serious. A lot of the characters are going through difficult times. It was worth reading, but not as fun as his Home to Harmony.
Rating: 
Summary: Close to reality
Review: I've just recently gotten acquainted with Gulley and his descriptions of life in Harmony. What a delight. As a son of a pastor, I can (sort of) relate to the many interesting individuals crossing any minister's path, like those in Sam Gardner's life. Yet, in the midst of the foibles Gulley confronts, there are the moments of subtle truth that all of us need to bear in mind. The twists and turns in Sam's life, while some may think are a bit unusual, are not so unreal after all.
I highly recommend this and any other of Gulley's works.
Rating:
Summary: Uplifiting read
Review: If you enjoy the novels of Jan Karon, you will appreciate this, the second offering by author Philip Gulley. Gulley is a Quaker pastor from Danville, Indiana. And like Ms. Karon, he writes about everyday life in a small town congregation, with a master storyteller's keen eye. Gully relates the odd doings of a kindly but befuddled pastor named Sam Gardner and the distinctively quirky members of his more-typical-than-one-might-admit congregation in a small Midwestern town. Since the author serves a congregation in a place not unlike the fictional pastor Gardner, his main character could be the author's, or any, pastor's alter ego. Who could resist such hilarious activities as the implausible ideas that emerge from the free-for-all annual "Goal-Setting Sunday" and lengthy discussions over what color the new laminate in the ladies room vanity should be? The book relates silly proposals that actually get voted "in" such as a new outreach initiative, the "Scripture Egg" project, in which small verses of Holy Writ are fed to chickens, so that when their eggs are broken, the verse emerged. No, I am not making this up! You will be amused by everything from near slapstick church meetings to the newspaper columnist who unwittingly sparks and flames the rumors of the town's gossip mill from his observation window overlooking the town's main street. Any you may even be reminded of similar situations you have experienced yourself. Because a second glance at even the most amusing of these improbable people will confirm your first suspicion: This is completely true to life. The author knows his subject through and through. This book made me laugh out loud many times, as I read about everything whimsical in Harmony, Indiana. Yet there are also serious issues, addressed skillfully and sensitively, in the midst of the fun. Church members deal with unexpected prosperity and adversity. Pastor Gulley deals with his own doubts. His congregation (almost in spite of themselves) manages to help him find his way to firm ground. So, the hilarity occurs in the midst of all of the other, more important work of the church of Jesus Christ, as lives are refreshed, comfort is given, prayers are prayed and the year unfolds with grace, in a very ordinary yet special place. Even if it is indeed "just shy of harmony".
Rating:
Summary: This is a complete joy to read
Review: If you enjoy the novels of Jan Karon, you will appreciate this, the second offering by author Philip Gulley. Gulley is a Quaker pastor from Danville, Indiana. And like Ms. Karon, he writes about everyday life in a small town congregation, with a master storyteller's keen eye. Gully relates the odd doings of a kindly but befuddled pastor named Sam Gardner and the distinctively quirky members of his more-typical-than-one-might-admit congregation in a small Midwestern town. Since the author serves a congregation in a place not unlike the fictional pastor Gardner, his main character could be the author's, or any, pastor's alter ego. Who could resist such hilarious activities as the implausible ideas that emerge from the free-for-all annual "Goal-Setting Sunday" and lengthy discussions over what color the new laminate in the ladies room vanity should be? The book relates silly proposals that actually get voted "in" such as a new outreach initiative, the "Scripture Egg" project, in which small verses of Holy Writ are fed to chickens, so that when their eggs are broken, the verse emerged. No, I am not making this up! You will be amused by everything from near slapstick church meetings to the newspaper columnist who unwittingly sparks and flames the rumors of the town's gossip mill from his observation window overlooking the town's main street. Any you may even be reminded of similar situations you have experienced yourself. Because a second glance at even the most amusing of these improbable people will confirm your first suspicion: This is completely true to life. The author knows his subject through and through. This book made me laugh out loud many times, as I read about everything whimsical in Harmony, Indiana. Yet there are also serious issues, addressed skillfully and sensitively, in the midst of the fun. Church members deal with unexpected prosperity and adversity. Pastor Gulley deals with his own doubts. His congregation (almost in spite of themselves) manages to help him find his way to firm ground. So, the hilarity occurs in the midst of all of the other, more important work of the church of Jesus Christ, as lives are refreshed, comfort is given, prayers are prayed and the year unfolds with grace, in a very ordinary yet special place. Even if it is indeed "just shy of harmony".
Rating:
Summary: Another Winner from Philip Gulley
Review: In this wonderful sequel to Home to Harmony, Sam is beginning his second year as pastor of Harmony Friends Meeting. This sequel, as the first book, follows a year in Harmony. Dale Hinshaw is still getting on Sam's (and everyone else's) nerves and has a new idea for witnessing - scripture eggs. Deena Morrison, owner of Legal Grounds, returns and plays a bigger part as does Wayne Fleming. I enjoyed this book even more than the original. Instead of the vignettes of small-town life that the original had, the sequel follows a more traditional storyline and I found that the characters came even more to life for me in this fashion!
Rating:
Summary: Great Storytelling
Review: Last weekend I spent a wonderful year in Harmony reacquainting myself with the good citizens of this simple Indiana town. This is the second book in a series about the small town of Harmony, Indiana. Brought to life by a master storyteller,the common folks of Harmony will make you laugh, cry, pull your hair out in disgust, and leave you with a warm feeling. Phil Gulley will lead you down a path of character assassination and, just as you have passed judgment, facts are revealed to reverse your feelings 180 degrees. A subtle lesson in prejudging others results in a paradigm shift that leaves you rooting for the underdog. I can't wait for the next book in the Harmony series to find out what Dale, Sam, Jessie, Deena, Fern, and all the other great folks of Harmony will be up to.
Rating:
Summary: Just Shy of Satire
Review: Mr. Gulley takes an irregular route to the very heart of things, complete with a test of faith. The reader returns to Harmony where once again the author shines up the mediocre and the mundane and turns it into a miracle. A very sympathetic look into the discouragement of leading a church of willy nilly believers, with one or both feet in the past and blinders on their eyes. The reader will learn why goal setting and a gymnasium aren't necessarily a good thing for a church, and how a run-away wife and mother can pull people together. The accidental lottery winners and scripture eggs and yes - gossip - keep things interesting, when life isn't always harmonious. Believe it or not, there is something for everyone here in this story of a Quaker minister challenging faith and depression. The well intentioned, as well as the goofier members of this congregation, are kindly and humorously set out in caricatures that leave you laughing or shaking your head (and I'm betting you'll recognize some of these folks). The Friendly Women taking on the liberal press and hijacking the hospital kitchen was simply a touch of genius. The gentle people of Harmony occasionally practice the fine art of indifference, but joy and faith, steadiness and kindness carry through. A thought provoking and profound ending that challenges the reader to come up with their own explanation. Might giving thanks be more important than seeking the truth? Don't miss Gulley's other warm, wonderful and charming books: Home to Harmony, Front Porch Tales and For Everything There A Season ... divided into easy to digest chapters for all ages.
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