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Executive Times |
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2008 Book Reviews |
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The Bible
Salesman by Clyde Edgerton |
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Rating: |
*** |
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(Recommended) |
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Click
on title or picture to buy from amazon.com |
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Characters Clyde
Edgerton’s new novel, The Bible
Salesman, presents richly developed characters and vivid descriptions of
the South after World War II. With both religion and sex, how can a reader go
wrong? Here’s an excerpt, pp. 42-44: "Henry,"
said Aunt Dorie, "go get me the scissors off the table in the
kitchen." Henry
left, and Dorie said to the Bible salesman, "I'm sorry, we can't afford
another Bible. My husband's checking some rabbit boxes, and I just realized
he's due back, and he shouldn't know right yet that I'm buying one for Henry
even. It's part cigar money I'm using." "Oh,
yes, Mrs. Sorrell. Of course. Let me just get these things together. And I
appreciate those names you gave me. May God bless you and all the people you
love." He stood, stuck out his hand, bowed a little bow, sort of a neck
stretch. Henry
was back with the scissors. "You
be good, son," said the man. "Take care of that Bible. It's a fine
one." As
soon as the door closed, Aunt Dorie said, "Look at those pages."
She reached over and thumbed a page. "It's India paper, and you can
almost see through it." This
Bible felt almost as thin as a New Testament. It was like a little fire truck
not a big clumsy fire truck. It was small and swift and would maybe be easy
to understand because it was thin, and it felt good in his hands. "Was
he a preacher?" asked Henry. "He
was a Bible salesman. Spreading the Gospel that way." "Why
did you need the scissors?" "Oh, I just need to cut
something in a minute." Henry walked to the front
window, saw the man open his car door and place his valise inside, then look
over the top of his car down toward Mrs. Albright's house, knock a cigarette
up out of a pack, pick it out with his lips, put the pack away, and then
light the cigarette with a match cupped in his hands. He looked back at Aunt
Dorie's front door before he got in the car. He seemed sad. He backed out of the driveway,
turned, and headed down the hill. He slowed and turned into Mrs. Albright's
driveway. Henry wondered about Mrs. Albright's husband. He got killed in a
war about the Spanish something. He was a hero and left behind a widow and
two children. Uncle Jack said Mrs. Albright's daughter was unhappy because
she didn't have anything wrong with her, so she left home. Aunt Dorie said
you were supposed to take care of orphans and widows. Widows were not the
same as black widows. Black widows ate their husbands, Uncle Jack said. Dorie walked to the window,
stood beside Henry, and looked down toward Mrs. Albright's. "We don't
want to worry Uncle Jack about buying a new Bible, so don't say anything to
him about it. I'll tell him." "Since Mrs. Albright had
Yancy, does she still have him?" asked Henry. "She had Yancy, yes,"
said Aunt Dorie. "What do you mean?" "Does she have him the
same way he has that ball in his neck?" "What
do you mean?" "Like
you can't throw it away." "Well, that's right. I guess
that's the way it is," said Aunt Dorie. "But
some things you have you can
throw away." "That's right." "Why
do they both have the same word, 'have'?" "I never thought about it.
Come on over here and let's look at your Bible." If
anything in the excerpt catches your interest, chances are you’ll enjoy The Bible
Salesman. Steve
Hopkins, October 20, 2008 |
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The recommendation rating for
this book appeared in the November 2008 issue of Executive Times URL for this review: http://www.hopkinsandcompany.com/Books/The Bible Salesman.htm For Reprint Permission,
Contact: Hopkins & Company, LLC • E-mail: books@hopkinsandcompany.com |
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