Book Review: Mindful of Him

Mindful of Him by Hollis Hughes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

About the Book: 

Mindful of Him is a tale of heartbreak and triumph set in the 1950s. Separated from his young wife, and with both of his parents recently deceased, Rob McLain sets off on an adventure for which he has longed since childhood. Travel with Rob as his journey not only takes him to beautiful places, but also crosses his path with influential men who help him through his loneliness. Five months into the trip, Rob has a moonlight encounter that changes his life forever and overwhelmingly convinces this young skeptic that God is indeed mindful of him!

Through it all, he receives answers to life's deepest questions. What does he learn? What happens to his wife? Do they get back together? Does he make it back safely? 

Find the answers to these questions and others dealing with faith, creation, nature, and more in Mindful of Him, which will keep you reading long after you had planned to turn out the lights. Mindful of Him was inspired by the writings of Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer, the giant of 20th Century Christian philosophers.

My Thoughts:

This novel really hit home for me. On a personal note, Rob reminds me so much of someone I know and love. Rob's words were not unheard of for me and I found myself often nodding along, thinking how I've heard that before. I enjoyed reading about Rob's journey and progression in his thoughts and feelings after his interactions with other characters. 

While the narrative was a little verbose at times, it was still inspiring. I was struck at first how the story seemed to be written from a very male dominant point of view. From that perspective, I found his wife, Beth's, character somewhat unappealing, at least after the significant event that changed their marriage. However, as the story went on and I was able to see a more well-rounded perspective, that opinion changed and I was able to find empathy for everyone as a whole.

Others may have been offended by the use of mild language, I didn't have an issue with it. While I don't like profanity, it seemed realistic in its context, although admittedly it was probably unnecessary. 

Also, despite the early setting in the story, the dialogue between characters seemed a bit far-fetched many times. I felt like I had stepped back about a hundred years ago and was reading the dialogue in a Dickens work. That is just my impression, though; it may not have bothered anyone else. It was only slightly annoying, but it didn't take away from the message. All in all, the book is fairly well-written and enjoyable.

You can purchase a copy of Mindful of Him by going here. 

About the Author:

On a cold February day in 1928, Hollis Hughes was born in a ramshackle house  with no insulation, plumbing, or electricity. Growing up on a farm during the Great Depression, Hollis spent his youth chopping wood, tending the family farm, milking cows, and tending to livestock. Following college graduation, Hollis worked as a high school teacher and counselor for 38 years, and operated a successful rhododendron nursery. 

When Hollis’ wife developed Alzheimer’s disease in 1988, he spent the next twelve years taking care of her. Today, Hollis is retired from education. He is a fly fisherman, hiker, and gardener. He is a member of the American Camellia Society,  and a lifetime member of the Birmingham Botanical Society. Hollis and his wife, Lera, make their home in Alabama.

Learn more about Hollis by visiting http://www.winepresspublishing.com/authors/hollis-hughes.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as part of the Litfuse Blog Tour in exchange for my review, but all opinions are 100% my own.