Baptists at Our Barbecue

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Summary: The Baptist viewpoint on this book....
Review: Baptists at Our Barbeque is the story of Tartan Jones, a 29-year-old from Provo, Utah. Tired of being paired off with the unlikeliest of characters and being asked if he's gay, Tartan puts in papers to move to the first job offer outside of Provo. He gets assigned to a town called Longfellow, named after some Mormon guy who's last living direct descendant is insane. The town is home to 558 people, with an equal number of Baptists and Mormons (many of which are so by appearnace on a roster only). Sure that he's doomed to a life of singleness after being sent there, Tartan sets out discover Longfellow-Longwinded to the people who live there. What he gets is a town divided along religious lines. The nearby LDS church meets in a trailer, and the Branch President has gone bonkers (so has just about everyone else there). Tartan also discovers a gossipy town cop, a guy named Martin with a penchant for vodka, and Mary Longfellow, the insane last living descendant of the town's namesake. And then there is Sister Wingate, who loves to whisper away in bushes. There's Fern, the undecided atheist who is with the Mormons one week and with the Baptists the next. You've also got Robert Crimsal, resident neat freak working on his sixth wife (he divorced the previous five) Sister Reese who's house is full of homemade blankets, the mischevious Smith boys and little Lehi. There's Wendy, whose mom wants her to marry Tartan. Rich, the crazy jack-baptist. Orvil the Native American guy who lost on Wheel of Fortune. There's another guy who is convinced that God rained down rocks on him. I could go on-the people in this book are just plain crazy, and I'm pretty sure that the majority of them-Baptist and Mormon alike-were actually not active in their respective church at the beginning of this book. Back to the plot: Prospects look up for Tartan when Charity comes to town to stay with her aunt (the woman with the quilt filled house). Someone also decides to steal the Mormon's meetinghouse ( ½ of it, that is), and Rich has it in for Tartan, wanting to kill him for being able to fight back the first time they met. Amid suabbling over the stolen wardhouse, the Mormons grudgingly (after being convinced that the Baptists would pull a no-show) agree to an interfaith barbeque proposed by Ian, the new branch president, and Tartan, his first counselor. But it really takes a miracle for the people of Longwinded to finally come together, an unlikely miracle at that. Will Tartan finally find a wife? Read the book to find out. Aside from several gliches and the assumption that Baptists drink all the time (Baptists are actually quite paranoid about beer, and more so than about dancing) this book is a worthwhile read.

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Summary: Cutsy story warms the heart
Review: This book was very easy reading that just warms your heart as you turn eac page. The author really brings his characters to life and makes you appreciate their feelings nad situations. Commical and spiritually rooted.