Church Folk

Rating:
Summary: Church Folk"
Review: This book is GREAT, especially if you are married to a preacher, and/or are VERY active in church administration. You will laugh your head off. I personally think being a pastor's wife is over-rated; this book looks at "the goings on" behind the church scene..the real deal, what some "christians" are really like. It made me laugh A LOT. I usually sell my books back, but not this one. I could NOT put this book down. Great for book club discussion. Luv'd it, luv'd it!

Rating:
Summary: Church Folk
Review: I laughed, I cried, I laughed, I laughed, and I laughed some more. This was the best book I have read in a long time. I've seen it in Essence as a best seller for a couple of months and finally bought it. It is worth every penny!!

Michele did an impeccable job making me feel like I really knew the characters. So many of her the experiences she talked about, I could relate to or have heard of happening in church. Being a native Mississippian I was glad to see Jackson State University(even the speech department) and Alpha Kappa Alpha mentioned. I am a proud alumni of the JSU Speech Department, and a proud Alpha Kappa Alpha member!!

If you're pondering whether or not you should buy this book....buy it. You won't regret it. If you're in the church or grew up in church, trust me, you'll be able to relate.

Rating:
Summary: A getting by read
Review: When I read the back of Church Folk and the reviews, I thought that I was in for so much laughter and amazement. Church folk was an o.k. read. It had its climaxes that would make you laugh, but overall it was a slow read. The author did a wonderful job describing the characters clothes and painting the pictures of the people in the book. The story was just slow. It is not a waste of time, but it is not on my favorites list.

Rating:
Summary: Lawd Have Mercy....Church Folk
Review: I laughed, I cried, I testified...this book is hilarious!

Reading this book is like reminising with your best friend, or slipping your feet into your favorite shoes, or oldest house coat. It just feels good.

I read this book in a single evening. And I loved every moment...I was truly sad when it ended.

The characters are memorable, the story is funny and engaging...not to mention realistic.

This book is a total package that should not be missed.

The Good Reverend and his wife...have all the love, all the passion, and all the spice.

Rating:
Summary: Great debut novel!
Review: Focusing on the inner workings of a denomination, this novel was refreshingly different. As the newly appointed pastor of Greater Hope Gospel United Church, Theophilus Simmons has his hands full. Beginning with being haunted by his past indiscretions with the church vamp, meddlesome church members, prejudice within a race, greed, church politics and sexual misconduct, the young pastor must continue to persevere.

Essie Lee Lane is a juke joint cook. Her down-to-earth manner and attractive looks catch Theophilus' fancy. Theophilus courts Essie Lee and finally asks her to be his wife. As a young married couple, they are portrayed as having a healthy, nurturing relationship and strong familial ties of immediate and extended families, which is important for the many challenges they face.

The novel takes place in Memphis during the height of the Civil Rights movement. With the use of many secondary characters within the denomination and various church members of Greater Hope, Ms. Bowens carefully weaves many frailties of the human race the novel. These include sexual intrigue, abuse of power, church politics tainted by scandalous ways and worldly temptations, just to name a few! This book keeps it real. While some of the situations portrayed in the novel could be unsettling to some; I felt these situations could be realistic regardless of the denomination.

The novel did start off a little slow, but once it got going, CHURCH FOLK was a real page-turner. Although based in the 1960's, the situations portrayed in CHURCH FOLK could very well ring true today! Overall, I thought this was a good read. It will definitely capture your attention!

Reviewed by Nedine Hunter
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: All about the relationships
Review: The Book was great, very funny and a true insight to what really goes on in the church. The many true devils our ministers and first ladies have to fight with everyday. After reading this book I felt more compelled to pray for my pastor, first lady, and leaders of the church. The relationship between Essie and Theo was beautiful in the way it started and manifested. Glodean was a trip and I honestly have yet to see anyone like that at either church I belong to. This book is a good read, and you will thoroughly enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining....
Review: Church Folk takes the reader to the Deep South, Mississippi 1963, where the young Reverend Theophilus Simmons has just landed his first appointment as pastor of Greater Hope Church. Although haunted by a past indiscretion with a fellow parishioner, Theophilus is determined to walk a straight and narrow path. He breaks an unwritten convention by courting and marrying the down-to-earth, rib-joint cook, Essie Lee. The remainder of the novel deals with their journey as first couple in the local troubled church, regional church politics, and the maturation of their relationship as a Christian couple.

Although this is a work of fiction, Bowen has crafted a plot which exposes issues that have historically plagued the clergy and are still prevalent in today's headlines: greed, sexual misconduct, and secular politics among other indiscretions. Because of this, the author has chosen to include a number of sexual situations and references between characters that may disinterest some real "church folk" reader. She justifies her choice for doing so within the novel through the voice of the central character, but this reader found that it could be viewed as inappropriate for some younger readers.

The book is an enjoyable story (albeit a little slow at times) that is sprinkled with Christian morals. The cast is diverse, colorful, funny, and full of life. I am sure that some readers may notice some of the same characteristics in their fellow churchgoers. The take-away is, this is a very easy read that almost anyone can enjoy.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, Nubian Circle Book Club

Rating:
Summary: A must read!!
Review: Church Folk, is a book that everyone and anyone has ever been a member of a congregation can relate to. You can find members of your own congregation and members from your old church in here. This book goes to show that everyone does not practice what they preach and we should not always look to our leaders to be an example of how to live a Godly lifestyle but look unto Jesus..who is the author and finisher of our faith!

Rating:
Summary: Get the Book!
Review: This book was sooooooo good. The characters were real, the situations were real, it was funny, sad, and a "I can't wait to find out what is going to happen next" book. I hope she does a follow-up to "Church Folk"

Rating:
Summary: Ms.Bowen makes it on the list of authors you must read
Review: I read the story description for this book not sure what it was going to be about but it didn't disappoint. I began reading this book and couldn't put it down til I was finished. This book is gripping and comical which I totally enjoyed. I will be looking forward to any new books from Ms.Bowen. I believe she has joined other authors like Omar Tyree,Eric Jerome Dickee on that list of authors you just must read whatever new books of theirs come out.