The Kneeling Bus"Perfect, dazzling stories that show you the world in a way you've never ever seen before." -Carolyn See, Los Angeles Times These eight connected stories depict Carrie Willis's coming-of-age as the daughter of a liberal minister in the Florida of the 1950s. Beverly Coyle's tropical landscape is quietly rural, relentlessly Methodist -lovely, lovely, and self-doubting. Her writing is as intimate as a memoir, and her stories take odd, voyeuristic turns: we meet Carrie's grandmother, a Seventh-day Adventist convert, much to the consternation of her family; a boy who feeds his pet leeches from blood-filled rubber gloves; the daughter of wealthy orchid growers who is killed by a truck on a rainy highway; and Carrie's great-aunt Dove, who falls for a con man who preaches the miracle of Direct Dialing. Actually arranging a promised call to Dr. Norman Vincent Peale may be the one honest thing he does. By turns hilarious, poignant, and heart-wrenching, The Kneeling Bus chronicles the small shames and deep mortifications of a narrator who once dreamed herself into a mission field of the Congo--before she lost her nerve. "Beverly Coyle employs so light a touch in this warm and wise novel that it completely charms us long before we feel how much it has taught us."--St. Petersburg Times |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 28
Page 23
... voice . " Who were they ? " I asked . " The pagans ? " " Oh , yoo - hoo ! " Grandma shifted to face me . This is why she'd come . She pressed my hand . ( " Is anybody up there ? " ) She whis- pered she had taken a long time figuring ...
... voice . " Who were they ? " I asked . " The pagans ? " " Oh , yoo - hoo ! " Grandma shifted to face me . This is why she'd come . She pressed my hand . ( " Is anybody up there ? " ) She whis- pered she had taken a long time figuring ...
Page 40
... voice I heard was that of a dark- haired husband speaking in my mind and heart . For as long as I could remember , I'd heard him . He had the voice of a radio announcer . And so I knew the image of myself on a steamboat down a muddy ...
... voice I heard was that of a dark- haired husband speaking in my mind and heart . For as long as I could remember , I'd heard him . He had the voice of a radio announcer . And so I knew the image of myself on a steamboat down a muddy ...
Page 179
... voice . “ Don't they have any at all ? " " Benches , Mom ? Will you try to remember this is a city with eight million people ? " " Eight million ? " she murmured . " No wonder . ” No wonder ? I began to raise my voice . Did she realize ...
... voice . “ Don't they have any at all ? " " Benches , Mom ? Will you try to remember this is a city with eight million people ? " " Eight million ? " she murmured . " No wonder . ” No wonder ? I began to raise my voice . Did she realize ...
Contents
TAKING MARTHA WITH ME | 1 |
THE SEVENTH DAY | 17 |
DOCTOR NORMAN VINCENT PEALE | 61 |
Copyright | |
2 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
afternoon Alma arms asked Aunt Dove Aunt Dove's baby began Bill Moyers Billy Bishop Boynton Beach boys cage called Camfort Carry on Sergeant chair church Direct Dialing door dress Everett eyes father feet felt finally finger Florida front Garrison Gary girl going Grandma Greenwich Village grove hair hand head hear heard husband inside Jeanie Jeanie's Julie Ann kneel KNEELING BUS knew living looked Lorin Macy's Martha Methodist Miss Dove Mollengarden Mom's morning mother never night Noel Norma Fulmore Norman Vincent Peale numbers Ochopee parsonage Pompano Beach pulled Rachel Beale Reverend Samuels Robin she'd side sitting smiling someone Souvlaki stood stop suddenly Sunday sure talk tell thing thought told took trying turned voice waited walked wanted watched week whispered who'd whole Wilkus window woman yoo-hoo