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Summary: It is taking me on my own spiritual journey...
Review: I always have been a believer and a prayer. My relationship with God has been a little, well, non-existant as of late. Not by HIS choice of course. I am on a journey, as many people in this book are, in rediscovering the love of God and the unshakable faith I yearn for. Today I finished the first book in this series and can't wait to receive my second! I already miss Father Tim, Dooley, and Cynthia! The prayers and scripture are moments I feel I am spending with God in an entertainment arena. Thanks to Jan! and God! Father Tim and his allies preach to each other in a warm and loving way
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Summary: Spiritual Refreshment
Review: Like a walk after a gentle spring rain, Father Tim's Mitford will revive your soul. Gentle handling of very real and up-to-date issues, with grace and blessings along the way, await the reader. John McDonough reads these books wonderfully, though I recommend the books themselves for the lovely quotes and thoughtful passages to savor. This book is the first of the series, and introduces us to Father Tim and the assortment of delightful characters that make up the North Carolina mountain town of Mitford. A gentle reminder of what is truly important, and likely the first of many of Ms. Karon's books you will seek. From an early teen to my 92 year old Great Aunt, these books have something for everyone.
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Summary: Marred by Divorce and Remarriage
Review: After my wife and 15-year-old daughter enjoyed the Mitford Chronicles so much, I promised to read the first volume in order to be able to substantively discuss Mitford life with my womenfolk. I have finally finished "At Home in Mitford" and thought others might be marginally interested in a masculine perspective on the book. First, I have to say that it was somewhat less than absorbing. My wife and daughter finish one of these 350-page books in 2 or 3 days, whereas it took me several months. And the difference is due to something other than reading speed. In fact, for a while I thought that my 13-year-old son's comment after reading the book jacket, "That's all I need to know about Mitford," was pretty close to the mark. After working on the book for several weeks and not seeing anything happen, I asked my wife for an outline of the plot. Her answer: "There is no plot. It's just the meanderings of small town daily life." This was difficult to absorb! I wondered (to myself), "Why would anyone want to write about such a thing? And if one did, who would want to read it? And if one read it, how could one in good conscience inflict it on someone else?" Nevertheless, I persevered. That said, however, I must admit, upon finally finishing, that it was a good book; I even enjoyed it. After coming to terms with Father Tim not being an Indiana Jones type, I was able to appreciate his life and "adventures," such as they are. And he does have some adventures. Shootings, drug dealers, and international jewel heists somehow make their way into the book. The book is also packed with dry humor; I found Father Tim and his countrymen a hilarious bunch of characters. I hope they were not insulted by my laughter. Possibly my familiarity with small town Southern life contributed to my enjoyment of their daily tribulations. The book is set in quaint little Mitford, North Carolina, the parish of Father Tim Kavanaugh, an Episcopal priest who was raised as a Baptist. Father Tim is a solitary, but contentedly cheerful, sexagenarian bachelor recently diagnosed with diabetes. We see Mitford through his eyes and thoughts. Father Tim has a strong commitment to the people of his parish, and he, in turn, is beloved by them. The supporting characters appear as genuine people whom the reader gradually comes to know through natural, unforced dialogues and the author's original descriptions of daily activities. I especially appreciated author Jan Karon's portrayal of authentic Christian faith and the application of such faith to everyday life. She does it in a frank, non-preachy way which I found uncommonly attractive and strikingly effective. Her presentation of Biblical theology is for the most part sound and accurate. The book is more effective than most standard evangelistic tracts in winsomely presenting authentic biblical faith in the Creator. She uses believably realistic accounts of normal people's joys and sorrows to depict the reality of life with God in a broken world. My one serious criticism is that Cynthia Coppersmith, Father Tim's neighbor and emerging love interest, is divorced. It was disconcerting to have to change my view of the Tim-Cynthia romance upon learning of her marital status. After all, how can one "root for" a developing relationship which the Son of God identifies as adultery? ("Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery." Luke 16:18) Their illegitimate romance leaves a bitter taste in the reader's mouth. I strongly object to the books' implicit approval of remarriage after divorce. The Mitford Chronicles are for the most part so wholesome that the commendatory presentation of the Tim-Cynthia relationship desensitizes people to the seriousness of divorce and serves as a persuasive voice to legitimize remarriage after divorce. Due to the nature of the books, most people will find Karon's implicit message far more credible and enticing than when they encounter the same message in other cultural opinion sources. It is a sign of the degradation of our culture and the dilution of Biblical authority in the culture that most readers are completely unfazed by this divorce and remarriage issue. Unhappily, the illicitness of this relationship stains the remaining books in the series as they are centered on Tim & Cynthia's developing romance and eventual marriage. It would have been far better for Karon to have cast Cynthia Coppersmith as a widow. Nothing of consequence would have been lost, and it would have made her relationship with Tim legitimate. Father Tim's total lack of concern about Cynthia's divorce is terribly inconsistent with his Baptist upbringing, with his position as a small-town Episcopal priest, and with his lifestyle of otherwise-consistent Biblical faithfulness. His silence is a serious literary (and moral) fault. I would like to have seen him "tear himself away" from Cynthia after learning of her divorce. I suggest that readers mentally re-designate Cynthia as a widow in order to appreciate the Mitford Chronicles. Possibly the most surprising result of all is that I have agreed to read vol 2: A Light in the Window. It turns out that I "need" to know more than what's in vol 1 as the books are less than swift in getting to certain points. Can you believe that I have even gotten started on the second volume?
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Summary: If your life is hectic, try this at the end of a busy day
Review: I loved the Mitford series. At times, they are somewhat slow but I found them all hilarious and relaxing. No confusing plots, no fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants love scenes, no complex characters, which, in this day and age, is somewhat refreshing. I found myself smiling a lot and laughing out loud many times. Father Tim is a friend to all and we should all be so lucky to live in a town like Mitford.
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Summary: A relaxing escape
Review: I don't usually read to escape, but I was at a time when I really needed an escape when I picked up this book. What a great soother, which manages to be thought-provoking in small and subtle ways at the same time. Yes, there are some here who want to be more challenged by their reading, but I would argue that there is a place for every type of book and for its type, these are the best I've found.
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Summary: A New Song
Review: Having read the 5th book in the Miford series first, I appreciated the character reviews that Jan Karon gave. I got so engrossed in those characters that I am now starting the read At Home In Mitford and intend to read all of the Mitford books. As I grew up in a Methodist parsonage, these books with Father Tim are very heart warming to me. I'm glad Karon gave those small character reviews for me.
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Summary: At Home in Mitford
Review: Although I read the review which commented about reviewing the characters as redundant, I read the 5th book first, and am now going back to the first book to understand the characters. Yes, she needs to include character study in each book. Skip over those paragraphs if you know the characters. I have found her books - A Light and At Home in Mitford very delightful and most interesting, as I grew up in a Methodist parsonage. Bravo for Jan Karon!
Rating: 
Summary: too sweet, yes - but sometimes we crave dessert
Review: I have read every 1 and 2 star review above and I agree with each and every piece of negative criticism that has been penned. But I still enjoyed reading the books. No, they're not thick in plot and yes, the characters are predictable and one-dimensional. However, for someone who wants a light, quick read these books are perfect. If you're looking for a meat-and-potatoes novel you're not going to like the series. However, if you're up for desert this series will quench your appetite. One criticism I'd like to add - by the second and third books I got annoyed by the author's redundancy in describing the characters. Did she have to explain who the characters were every time they reappeared throughout the story? I felt like I was reading footnotes.
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Summary: Filled with characters you care about.
Review: "At Home in Mitford" is an old fashioned kind of book. Filled with interesting, quirky, hometown people involved with everyday living. A little mystery, a little drama, a little romance and lots of wisdom. I'm glad I read the first in the series...I plan to read all three.
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Summary: Audio Book CANNOT replace the real thing!
Review: I have read all of the Mitford series books out so far and LOVED them all! Excellent reading. I was excited to by the Audio Books in order to share the loved experience with my husband. So I bought the abridged audio cassettes read by the author. What a let down! You want to talk about abridged! This is very abridged. For a book that takes a lot of its basis on "taking your time" and "stopping to smell the roses", the audio book went too far in leaving entire chunks out! You do not get a feel for the characters or events. It's like Cliff Notes for "At Home in Mitford" on tape! I do not recommend the abridged version of these audio tapes. Made me feel very rushed and left my husband very uninterested! I rated it 2 stars instead of 1 because I did enjoy hearing how Jan Karon "personalized" the characters. I especially liked her rendition of Mrs. Sadie Baxter.
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