Wind in the Wheat [Paperback]

Reed Arvin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 1994

As a young man growing up in Kansas, Andrew Miracle enjoys working on his family farm and singing gospel music at his small church. But when John van Grimes, an agent in the music industry, hears Andrew sing one night, he persuades the young man to join him in Nashville "for the ministry opportunity of a lifetime."

In Nashville, Andrew is greeted by Carolyn Hemphill, a beautiful young woman who works at the John van Grimes Management Agency. As she ushers Andrew through his first weeks in Nashville, the two spark a deep connection. It's Carolyn's steadfastness that anchors Andrew through the confusing negotiations with Dove Records and then Atlantic Records and the intense recording sessions of his first album. When his trademark song, Lost Without You, hits number-one, Andrew is thrust into a whirlwind of fame and fortune that takes him farther away from home, himself, and God.

A gritty expose of the Christian music industry in the early 1990s, The Wind in the Wheat reveals one man's struggle with faith in the midst of tremendous change.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 3, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785281460
• ISBN-13: 978-0785281467
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,183,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must-read, April 6, 2000

By 

Mark Stephen Warren (Huntsville, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wind in the Wheat (Paperback)

This is a rare work of art in the modern American church: it's honest. It's a must-read for anyone entering the ministry and who seeks to live in true holiness. Holiness doesn't present itself as holy. It just is holy. It doesn't draw attention to itself. This work shows us the shame of trying to live an image of holiness instead of being holy. How to deal with our superficial faith. It's a work about God saying 'no' instead of being a short order cook always supplying us with what we consider to be the best of everything. Obviously, it's sobering. It's also enjoyable and hardly as critical or mean as this review sounds. Although there's alot of music industry info, the plot itself is compelling and the ending is rewarding and packs quite a twist! Happy reading, all.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Story, Important Message, October 5, 2000

By 

mjanke - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wind in the Wheat (Paperback)

Arvin does just an incredible job of writing a book that is solid from a literary standpoint but which also tackles a serious message in a very effective manner. Andrew Miracle has been given a musical gift from God. A visiting manager hears him perform and in a flash Andrew is signed out of obscurity to a major label and thrust into a whirlwind world that is totally foreign to him. Everything that was once important and clear to him is now hazy and hard questions arise. What is at the core of Christian music? What are its values? Is it a business? Is it a ministry? Is there such a thing as the "business of ministry?" As his star begins its rapid ascent, Andrew must face these questions head on and make some hard choices that are all too relevant to today's music scene. If you are a fan of CCM at all, or especially if you think you will be involved with CCM professionally, you really should pick up this book. It has a serious message, but it's not heavy-handed. It is fair, but bluntly honest. It will force you to re-examine how you view the music you are buying, your attitudes towards many aspects of the scene, and especially how you as a fan look at the artists you listen to. Read this along with Charlie Peacock's At the Crossroads. Five Stars.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars in Christ name?, January 11, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wind in the Wheat (Paperback)

This book takes a hard look at the music industry flying under the Christian flag. It shows a young man's struggle to keep his Christianity as he slowly watches it slide between his fingers, as everybody around him tells him it's "o.k." I enjoyed this book throughly, espcially from the marketing standpoint. It's very authentic and real to the struggles in trying to keep your trueself while everything around you is fabricated. A good read for anyone who questions where their spiritual gifts lie and how they should use them. I felt like I lost a good friend when I finished this book.