Customer Reviews

Christmas in Harmony

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Philip Gulley won me over with his first Harmony book, "Home to Harmony." His character development and wonderful sense of humor bring the people in his books alive. I was quite surprised when I found that this book was only 84 pages long! But that is good for a Christmas book, as you can read it in one sitting. Anyone who has been a member of a church can find someone to indentify with or knows someone in their church like Dale Hinshaw! I laughed out loud more than once, but the best part of the book was the ending.......very heartwarming, touching and made a tear roll down my cheek.

Just finished reading this book in one sitting. The flow and writing were easy to follow, taking the reader from one emotion to the other - the simplier ways of life, the five and dime, Santa, family gatherings. The best part of the book was the part where "Sam" read the Christmas story to "Frank". Thus going back to the original tradition that the church has observed for years.

Let's not forget about Dale Hinshaw, every small town has someone like him. A likeable character although somewhat misguided. Philip Gulley makes him to appear almost humanlike, along with the other characters in his book. Once you read one of his books, you can't wait until the next one is published.

Although only a layman on book reviews, I give this book an extremely high rating. It is rare that a book touches me enough to laugh and cry at the same time. It is an excellent Christmas gift to give anyone - young or old.

After reading "Just Shy of Harmony", where Gulley takes the story into more serious and sometimes borderline sacreligious ground, "Christmas in Harmony" hits the mark readers/fans of "Home to Harmony" would expect. Yes, it's short, but it only covers the few weeks of Christmas preparation his little parish are to endure. Laugh-out-loud funny in places and reflective in others, Gulley has another winner in this little gem. Enjoy!

Amazon, bookstores, and readers on this site often compare the Harmony series to the Mitford series by Jan Karon. I think the comparison is misguided. Certainly there are obvious similarities; but Gulley's stories have a crucial difference. Mitford, while idealized, is supposed to be a plausibly realistic place, with realistic people. Gulley, on the other hand, cannot keep himself from lapsing constantly into hyperbole for comic effect (sort of like Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon stories). This becomes apparent in just the first few pages of this book: Would a local beauty queen, asked to dress in a bathrobe to portray Mary in a Christmas pageant, really wear a revealing negligee? And would the church allow the pageant to proceed if she did? Would a church board member seriously propose that the church obtain W-2s of prospective members to evaluate their potential financial contributions? In both cases, of course not.
Don't get me wrong -- I agree with other reviewers that the book is funny. It's just a different kind of book from Karon's; hers are gentle humor within a realistic framework, while Gulley's emphasize humor (sometimes to the point of wackiness) over realism.

and this book is a great read for the holidays. A nice, short easy Christmas story, but still the same warm, wonderful small town we have grown to love. Being a pastor is a lot of work and tiring as we read in this book. All the parishoners provide lots of laughs and insights. Mr Gulley provides us with a wonderful story, without foul language and a few holiday messages. Pick up this book, you won't be sorry. One of those you will want to read every holiday season thereafter.

I don't have too much to say about this book except that it is hilarious. I read Home Town Tales a couple of years ago, and I have since read all of Mr. Gulley's books except one. I have cracked up over every one of them. I read this one in a day because it kept me laughing so much. I am patiently awaiting another of Mr. Gulley's fabulous books. I am on Amazon right now to order a copy for my pastor because I think he would really get a kick out of it.

Philip Gulley's Christmas in Harmony is an amusing tale of Sam Gardner's Christmas season. He is the Quaker minister in Harmony, Indiana, and the church is getting ready for Christmas. Dale Hinshaw, the churchs resident creative programmer. He insists that the people of Harmony no longer want the same old Christmas mass, and he decides to organize a Progressive Nativity, without getting anyone's direct agreement, as is usual.

Gulley works in elements of some of the downsides of Christmas, such as the mass marketing, when the Nativity scene gets bombarded by different signs from local businesses who won't let Dale use their things without a little free advertising. In fact, the whole nativity turns into a bit of a joke.

But, nonetheless, Gulley works into the story many refreshing Christmas thoughts. He is able to make the reader see both sides of Christmas, the mysticism and wonder that a new child feels, and the cynicism and splurging that goes on during the holiday season. As is usual with the Harmony books, he works little thoughts into the end of each chapter, just something to ponder about. This story made me laugh out loud several times.

Unfortunately, it was a rather short book, which is why I wouldn't recommend buying it. But if you are able, definitely check it out of the library. It is an amusing Christmas tale that evokes memories of each person's own childhood Christmas, and the wonderful scents, thoughts, gifts, feelings, and overall happiness that Christmas brings about.

The whole Harmony series is very enjoyable, and it among my favorite in the fiction genre. They are all light-hearted and full of wonderful and entertaining characters. The books follow Sam, a pastor in a small-town Quaker church, and the eclectic group of individuals who are members.

You will likely find yourself laughing out loud at the antics of Dale, as he undertakes his scripture-egg project or his salvation balloons. Fern Hampton may drive you nuts, but you'll learn to love her. I will say that this one is shorter than all the rest, and didn't leave me quite as fulfilled.

Many reviewers compared this to the Mitford series, reading this one because they enjoyed the Mitford series so much. I tried reading the series after this one, and found it dry and dull.

These books are easy, pleasant and clean reads. Enjoy!

We have started reading this book as a family tradition. My children love it and laugh along with me. On one hand, it is slapstick comedy capturing people at their zaniest. (However, if you have ever worked at a church it isn't really that far off in some cases.) On the other hand, the irony of what is overlooked in the progressive nativity is so very true, and the last scene where Sam reads the Christmas story in Luke to Frank is one of my favorite Christmas scenes in any book. Though I have been disappointed in some of Philip Gulley's later work after leaving Multnomah Publishing. This is a gem for the ages.

Pastor Sam Gardner is hoping for peace at Christmas in his little Quaker church in Indiana. Instead he gets Dale Hinshaw, one of his elders, who decides that the church needs to change its Christmas celebration. Always full of ideas, Dale proposes a progressive nativity scene with bits and pieces of the Christmas story on the lawns of several different parishioners. Instead of simplifying Christmas, the nativity scene seems to make it more complicated as the Gardners grapple with livestock which is delivered to their house as their part of the celebration. With his usual wit, Philip Gulley again brings readers a delightful story of the folks who live in Harmony, Indiana, and who worship at Harmony Friends Church.