Bill Higgs

This book was on the sale rack at the local library and I recognized the publisher as one that publishes Christian books, so I decided to give it a go. I didn't realize that the author is the husband of Liz Curtis Higgs whom I have heard of (and I think I've read one or two of her books).

It's set in the 1960s in a small town in Kentucky where everybody seems to know everybody else and folks are neighborly. (Though I do wonder how the grocery stays in business with all they seem to give away, but that's not relevant to the book.) The town pretty much has one of every business--except churches of which it seems to have 3. This book focuses mainly on the Evangelical Baptist Church which is across the street from the service station that Virgil has run for many years.

Somewhere along the way, the Baptist church bought land across from Virgil's station thinking to use it for overflow parking, only to realize that they don't need it. With the church in need of repair, the decision has been made to sell the land, and that changes Eden Hill, Kentucky.

For the first time, Virgil faces competition for gas and auto repairs. He isn't sure how he should react. Should he be worried about the competition? Should he be a good Samaritan? To make things worse, his wife, Mavine, has started questioning whether they have a good marriage.

Virgil seems to be a good guy who's just a bit clueless about how different women are than men in what they need from communication. He also seems to be hampered by a limited formal education (there are references to him not understanding the meaning of certain words and having some trouble with math). He tries though--even going so far as to book a "romantic" dinner at a restaurant that is his mechanic, Welby, 's favorite (though it is not as romantic as Mavine hopes), and I do think he really does love his wife and son.

Cornelius (Neil) starts out seeming like a guy who will fall for most get-rich-quick pitches in an attempt to make something of himself. He seems like he wants to prove something to his wife and to her family--that he can be successful. The good news is that since the land is right next to the church, his wife convinces him to start attending.

Eugene Caudill, the pastor, seems to feel he has to be responsible for Eden Hill's well-being. One of the discussion questions asks if this is something a pastor should take on. It also asks are there boundaries beyond which a pastor should not meddle. Somewhere along the way, a change occurs in Caudill and he makes a decision at the end which surprised me.

As with most churches, there is at least one member who feels she has to voice her displeasure on a regular basis. In some cases it is a matter of morals and in others, I think she just wants to complain. We are called to be a voice of truth and a voice of change in a fallen world, but the trick is to do it in a less judgmental way than how most of us do it. In the end, she too makes a series of surprising decisions.

The novel also delves a bit into race relations in the 1960s. I'm unsure whether Madeline was upset about African-Americans visiting the church or if it was only because her illegitimate son visited Caudill (at Caudill's invitation). I was glad to see that others in the church were open to a mixed congregation--and they got a chance to put this into practice one Sunday. Interestingly, several of the residents have some African-American blood in their genealogy--even the person who was most objecting to the mixed congregation.

All in all, there are many thought provoking life lessons to explore in this novel should you want to.… (more)

Eden Hill is an extraordinary debut novel of Bill Higgs. Take a stroll down memory lane to a time and place that was slower paced and much more community focused and yet you will find the same heart issues that are seen in this day and age of instant everything. Eden Hill, small town Kentucky in the early 1960s, finds the characters in the story facing mid-life what-if questions, racial disputes and the struggles of making ends meet especially when a new business opens up in town. The author deals realistically with these life situations. Humor runs throughout the story with incidents of 10-year-olds putting a whoopee cushion on the church organist's bench during Sunday morning service and the ornery old parishioner who calls the pastor every day to let him know how he should be running things. A little romance is sweetly portrayed as Virgil does his best to give his wife, Mavine, an intimate, romantic dinner in an effort to show her he does really love her. The story flows quickly and keeps interest high, wondering what will happen next to upset this quiet little town. Characters are normal everyday people that readers will enjoy getting to know as they are in the process of learning who their neighbor is. As one character puts it, "You've been our neighbor for years. Only right we should be neighborly." Higgs portrays a solid faith in a God of forgiveness and second chances because these characters are coming to know that God's grace covers it all.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Book Club network. A favorable review was not required and opinions are my own.… (more)

Title: Eden Hill
Author: Bill Higgs
Pages: 400
Year: 2016
Publisher: Tyndale
My rating is 5 stars.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book from www.bookfun.org The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
As I read the novel, I felt transported in my imagination to a time that seemed simpler in one sense and yet the same in another. Simpler in that there were no electronic gadgets as there are today, which when we don’t control them by turning them off, can intrude into our lives. It was a time when families sat down to dinner, read more, watched TV less, and the work ethic was exceptional. The 60’s era had its own challenges that differ in some ways than those we face today.
In the fictional novel, we get swept into a small town called Eden Hill where people helped their neighbors and businesses closed on Sundays. In the town, there are some people who turned out to have a surprising history to reveal. There is an older lady who drives one pastor of a church crazy as she is the most contrary and always finding something to complain about to the pastor.
Towards the end of the novel it became clear to me that people learned more about themselves, especially when life was hardest. Some found that the faith they thought they had needed to be shored up and put into practice with more love. I so enjoyed getting to know the residents of Eden Hill right as the civil rights issues were coming to the forefront. I remember so many themes that, while in the book were fictional, were part of my upbringing and made me more than thankful for the parents I was blessed to have.
Faith, family, neighbors, helping each other and more are some of those themes that will grab your heart and lift it up. I think that anyone who reads the book will be reminded that there are ways families can draw closer to each other, which in turns makes neighbors closer and it just expands from there. Family is really the foundation of our nation right after faith in a God who works all things together for our good, and He is still doing that today!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”… (more)

EDEN HILL BY BILL HIGGS
What I liked about this book was before I even got it the summary led me to believe the older established gas station owner would be helping out the new one. I do a lot of charity work and often am asked about a knitting pattern I developed and I post it to share with others.
Whether they use it for personal gain or to make charity items is up to them. Nobody pays me for the patterns and I don't mind sharing.
Book starts out with Virgil, the owner of the gas station/auto repair center and his family: wife and teen son. She's at odds with her upcoming 40th birthday and believes the things in ladies magazines about her love life.
He's worked his whole life to provide for them to learn the lot next door was sold for a new gas station/convenience store to a young couple who put a pink mobile home on the lot while construction is underway. He's up to his head with debt after getting loans for their dreams. She delivers a baby...
Other people in the community are followed as well-really rounding out the whole community. The pastor and all the work he does every everybody, makes sure events run smoothly while writing interesting sermons to keep everybody active and awake.
What I liked about the book was the different ages of everyone and how they each dealt with stressful circumstances and leaned on God to help them through it all. Interesting to find they all related in one way or another.
Not only different ages, different walks of life and different problems than others in the community. Amazing how a fishing trip can change all their minds...Discussion questions at the end.
I received this book from The Book Club Network (bookfun.org) in exchange for my honest review.… (more)