Turning Back Time - Trespassers Will Be Baptized

One of my favorite moments as a bookseller happens when a person comes in the shop and explains that for various and sundry reasons they haven't been reading for a long time, but want to start again. This gives me a chance to go back to some old favorites, and it shores up the truth of something I say all the time: any book you have not read is a new book.  

In an effort to migrate my old reviews from Goodreads to this forum, on Tuesdays I will be dragging them from there to here, in a regular feature called "Turning Back Time."  


Trespassers Will Be Baptized: The Unordained Memoir of a Preacher's Daughter
Elizabeth Emerson Hancock


Funny and heartwarming memoir about growing up the daughter of a Southern Baptist preacher in Eastern Kentucky. I love it when preconceived notions about what preachers are like at home get smashed -- in a good way. How can you not love a father who hums Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young to his daughter when she's seriously ill?

I read this one in June 2008. It's a real gem. Sadly, it is no longer in print, but if you happen upon it in a second-hand store sometime, separate yourself from a couple bucks and pick it up if you could use a pick-me-up.

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I plan to add a second regular feature here in Surlyville that will require some *gasp* reader participation. Have you ever wanted to ask your favorite Bricks and Mortar bookseller a question about the industry, how they really feel when you ask that stupid question, or what they really thought about Fifty Shades of Gray? Do you lie awake at night wondering how The Surly Bookseller really feels when a customer launches into a praise fest for their Kindle? Now's your chance to find out.    Submit your question to me via email: surlybookseller@gmail.com and I'll answer it here in this forum.  Nothing is off limits, so fire away. 

Please do not leave questions in the comments section. You do not want to start off on the wrong foot with me.