The book Mindful of Him, by Hollis Hughes, tells a tale of a young man who has had a series of terrible things happen to him. This story takes place in the 1950’s and it tell of how Rob Mclain takes a journey to the mouth of the river by his childhood home. He is searching for the source of the river, after growing up watching it and wondering where it came from.
My favorite part of this story was the scenes that Mr. Hughes wrote about, the images he paints in my mind of the river and its surrounding land are beautiful, and reflect an amazing creator. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book as well, primarily Rob and Beth, his wife.
This is not just a physical journey for Rob, it is ultimately a spiritual one. As a boy, he was raised to believe in God and his creation, but lately he has chosen to leave that path and begin a journey of enlightenment. This expedition he goes on to find the source of the river is also an attempt to find out if God really exists.
The other favorite aspect of this book was the people Rob met along the journey. There were three men he met and spent a great deal of time with. They were all believers and all ultimately pointing him back to God, and they were all charming! I loved how they each had their own story to tell, but how they really seemed to connect to Rob. It was exactly what he needed when he met each of them, confirms my belief that God gives us what we need when we need it, a note of encouragement, a call from a friend, or time alone.
This is not a light read; the descriptions are complex, as Rob journeys through the wooded land of the Carolinas. The depth of spiritual wandering is quite deep as well and will encourage the reader to evaluate what they believe and why.
I recommend Mindful of Him if you are looking for a meaty read, something that will require your attention and thoughts.
About Hollis Hughes
On a cold February day in 1928, Hollis Hughes was born in a ramshackle house in an isolated rural area with no insulation, plumbing, or electricity. Like so many others during those years, the Hughes family depended on a wood burning fireplace for most of their heat. As a youngster, age nine, Hollis was responsible for milking and feeding a cow and occasionally tended other livestock before and after school. Since most of their food was farm grown, the Hughes family ate well and didn’t suffer as much as others, even in the midst of their poverty throughout the Great Depression. In September of 1946, eighteen-year-old Hollis arrived at Athens College with a cardboard suitcase and navy duffel bag with $10.00 in his pocket. He paid room, board, and tuition by working in the college library 20 to 30 hours a week. {read the rest HERE}
NOTE: This book was offered for free in exchange for an honest review, by WinePress Publishing.
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