The Lilies of the Field

For the past two years I have taken an interest in reading classic books, and I have discovered they are amazing! From Dracula to Hamlet, they will keep you hooked. Courtesy of Ms. J, I tracked down The Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett.

The main character is Homer Smith, a Black-American handyman who is traveling and comes upon an Arizona farm run by German nuns. Smith starts out doing simple repairs to their farmhouse, but in the end there was something much bigger planned for him. You see, the nuns are convinced Homer has been sent to them by God to help build a new chapel.

It’s a very short book perfect for those who quake at anything longer than two-hundred pages or those who are simply curious. Do not let the length or summary fool you, however, as this little book will leave you wanting more.

It's worth mentioning that this book was made into a 1963 film and adapted for the musical stage with the title Look to the Lilies. In 1963, Sydey Poitier became the first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field

If you are interested in reading the classics, The Lillies of the Field is a great place to start turning pages. Also, there are two bookstores I would recommend for your treasure hunt of the classics--Chipola River Book and Tea in Downtown Marianna and Red House Books in Dothan. Of course, you could always check amazon.com, but the hunt is half the fun.