"PRAYERS FOR SALE," by Sandra Dallas, St. Martin's Press, 320 pages, $24.95
In hard times, people tend to turn to their families and friends.
Perhaps that's the reason why Sandra Dallas' "Prayers for Sale" is now No. 12 on the New York Times Bestseller list — hope and friendship are after all at the heart of this historical fiction novel.
Set in 1936, young Nit Spindle moves with her husband to a small mining town in the Colorado Rockies. Nit's husband has a job on a dredge boat that searches the Colorado River for gold. The work is dangerous, and the newlyweds are treated like outsiders.
Hennie Comfort has lived in Middle Swan for most of her life. As a quilter and a storyteller, she's an institution. When Hennie finds Nit pondering a Prayers for Sale sign outside Hennie's house, the old woman becomes intrigued.
Both woman are originally from the South and form an immediate bond. As they get to know each other, secrets from their respective pasts are shared. Hennie becomes almost a mother figure to Nit as she helps her adjust to life in the West and the high altitude of the Rocky Mountains.
As Hennie prepares to leave her home and move to Iowa, she carefully takes steps to make sure Nit will be OK without her. Under Hennie's guidance, Nit is welcomed into the Tenmile Quilters, a group of women who have formed unique friendships through sewing.
Life hasn't been easy for the friends, but together they find joy in the past, present and the future.
"Prayers for Sale" is a finely crafted tale that celebrates women and their resiliency. Dallas sets the stage with multifaceted and intriguing characters that tug at the heartstrings. And Dallas' use of stories within stories brings a greater depth to the story line as a whole.
With "Prayers for Sale," Dallas brings forth a story that is spiritual without being preachy. The writing here is comfortable, never too fast or too slow, with a homey feel to it. It's an interesting read that many will find refreshing and uplifting.
E-mail: jharrison@desnews.com