An excerpt from the best novel I’ve read this year,
which releases this week (though, through some confusion on my part about its release date, it wasn’t on our list of new releases to watch for this week… though it SHOULD have been!)
Thin, Blue Smoke: A Novel.
Doug Worgul
Paperback: Burnside Books, 2012.
Buy now: [ Amazon ] [ Kindle ]
The blurb I wrote for this novel:
Doug Worgul’s Thin Blue Smoke is a poignant story that unfolds in and around a tiny barbecue joint on the backstreets of Kansas City. With bold and twisted characters like those of Flannery O’Connor or Frederick Buechner, Worgul weaves a rich and redemptive story that captures the spirit of its gritty, urban setting as well as any American novel that is deeply rooted in a place. In our world of increasing isolation and infidelity, Thin Blue Smoke stirs our imaginations with the hope of what is possible through deep and tenacious friendships.
The cover on the excerpt below is from the UK edition… The correct cover is on the left…
C. Christopher Smith is the founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books. He is also author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church (Brazos Press, 2019). Connect with him online at: C-Christopher-Smith.com
 Reading for the Common Good From ERB Editor Christopher Smith "This book will inspire, motivate and challenge anyone who cares a whit about the written word, the world of ideas, the shape of our communities and the life of the church." -Karen Swallow Prior Enter your email below to sign up for our weekly newsletter & download your FREE copy of this ebook! |
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Our Book Group just read this book…we even road tripped to Kansas City to take in the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, etc referenced in the book. (We tried to contact Doug Worgul to see if he would join us but unfortunately received no response. That would have capped off a great weekend in KC.) Thin Blue Smoke is a tender story of grace, mercy and forgiveness. Worth the read!