THE HIGH ROAD

Regional tale with hill people of Hissouri in sympatheticand mildly humorous situations...a gentle, patient account oftime passing by -- of a relaxed way of life that is notlistlessness, of moral fibre that is tough in spite of seeminginertia. The story follows the conflict between RoveCarruthers and his everpresent enemy, Abner Holly, who bestshim in farming, housebuilding, marriage, children, who refusesto let Rove hunt or berry pick on his property, who is on thepoint of killing Rove's pig until Rove finally turns on him. Rove's inner urge is to preach rather than farm, and despiteAbner's spoiling his first sermon, Rove clings to his dreamand is something of a success as he travels over the ridge. His resources gone -- he gets a chance at a revival meeting tobring Abner to God (at a point of a gun), and is chosen by thecommunity as their preacher, thus securing safety for hiswife, Jubilee, and their two children. A timeless sort of book-- nothing of war and the outside world, but contemporaryent of American life.