Jon Hassler (1933–2008)

Not a lot happens in this book about a small town in the Midwest in the 1970’s. At least, not until the last quarter of the book. Then things start to rush along, each event becoming more serious as we go.

This is a character-driven story, and I found the characters to be fully developed and interesting. There’s a lot of humor here as well, most of it subtly subverting the mores of the 70’s. It’s certainly something different from most novels. Highly recommended to those who enjoy something out of the ordinary, and don’t mind a quiet read.… (mer)

My description of this novel: A week in the life of small-town high school teacher Miles Pruitt. There wasn't a fast moving plot. In fact, I'd have trouble explaining what the plot actually was. The only thing that seemed to push this novel forward was time itself.

I enjoyed it immensely, right up until the ending. I thought about it for a couple of days but am unable to convince myself that this ending isn't out of place or that it has a larger worthwhile point.

Yet, like I said, I really liked this book. I enjoyed my time with Miles Pruitt, the high school where he taught, the inept superintendent, the nervous principal. My favorite character was Miss McGee, Miles' Catholic boarder, who once set off a fire alarm at school to prevent students from hearing any more nonsense from a modern poet.

She prays for Miles (Hail Marys for the return of his faith), and she dislikes rain. She wonders about sin after observing that ferns thrive only with sun AND rain. "Does God permit sin because it's an ingredient in something he's concocting and we human beings aren't aware of what it is? Is there sprouting up somewhere a beautiful fern, as it were, composed of goodness and sin?"

She later rejects her own thinking. When I think about this novel, I expect that I'll remember Miss McGee and Miles Pruitt with equal fondness.… (mer)