The Way Back to Mayberry: Lessons from a Simpler Time [Paperback]

Joey Fann (Author), George "Goober" Lindsey (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2001

“The Andy Griffith Show” continues to have a huge worldwide following. While many factors contribute to the show's ongoing popularity, many fans continue to point to the basic moral principles upheld by each and every episode. The Way Back to Mayberry takes an irresistible look at these moral themes and values promoted by the show and examines them in light of biblical truth. Each episode is described, and then the message of each show is looked at in detail, along with a biblical example of the theme, and an application for our lives today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joey Fann, author of The Way Back to Mayberry, began teaching classes based on the values and ideals depicted in The Andy Griffith Show in 1998. Since that time his material has received media attention from The Washington Post, USA Weekend, People magazine, and various television networks. Joey works as a software engineer in Huntsville, Alabama, where he lives with his wife and daughter.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805424202
• ISBN-13: 978-0805424201
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #389,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Gospel According To Andy, June 14, 2001

By 

Susie Stephens (Lebanon, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Way Back to Mayberry: Lessons from a Simpler Time (Paperback)

This is a feel-good approach to a TV phenomenon that is still delighting audiences thirty years later. Fann has hit on one of the reasons for the show's success: each episode contains moral truths and spiritual guidelines intricately woven into the storyline, and these are just as applicable to today's sophisticated, special effects-bombarded viewers as they were to the technicolor-challenged children of the sixties. Fann devotes a separate chapter to thirty of his favorite episodes. He gives a brief synopsis of the events, and then he presents parallel biblical principles that he feels are being showcased. He often peppers his writing with anecdotes from his own experience, and many of these have a "Chicken Soup" kind of approach. Because each chapter is self-sufficient, the book can be read incrementally--a chapter at a time, or it can be enjoyed in its entirety for those who have larger blocks of leisure time available. Each chapter begins with a correlating verse from scripture. For those teaching Andy Griffith Bible studies, this book is a wonderful companion for use in lesson preparation.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Look at an Old Show, April 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Way Back to Mayberry: Lessons from a Simpler Time (Paperback)

Being a huge Andy Griffith fan, I picked this book up the other day. Don't know what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. Any Andy fan can tell you that the show was full of good, heart-warming stories, but I had never thought of the show in the terms presented by the author. To clarify, this book is not filled with epsisode trivia, or preachy sermon topics. However, it does present unique thoughts and observations regarding the timeless themes of Mayberry from a personal perspective. In almost every chapter, the author relates a personal story that will make you laugh, cry, or just reflect on simpler pace of life - kind of like The Andy Griffith Show used to do! If you have even a casual appreciation of the "Old Griffith Show", you will enjoy this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True Spirit of Mayberry, February 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Way Back to Mayberry: Lessons from a Simpler Time (Paperback)

Heartwarming book on the wonderful lessons from Mayberry. Author presents many personal stories and reflections from the classic TV show - a very satisfying read. No Andy Griffith collection is complete without this volume!