This book drew me in after I heard the interview on NPR recently and it's theme I thought would be interesting, but little did I know how deeply I would be affected by a young, ordinary woman from a part of the country I have no knowledge of nor care to ever visit! This is NO ordinary woman, place or story at all. I read the writers words as if I was eating fine sweets or drinking a good glass of wine- always wanting more and not wanting the book to end as it inevitably had too. I've never cried as hard as I did during the last days of Ruthie's life, one would describe me as bawling my head off in the middle of the night to be more accurate. I think it was a combination of how I grew to love the people in the book and the way this book is written. It is a love story of people and a place that will forever have a place in my heart. This book will be a blessing to all who read it I guarantee. Linda clauson

Rod, what a touching tribute to your sister and wonderful story about a Southern family. I cried through most of the book only because it was so "real." Thanks for including the pictures at the end. Heartwarming! Continue to enjoy every day with your entire family. Great job!

This is a story about family, a brother and sister, home, faith, sickness and health, commitment and love. Dreher is unblinking in his descriptions of his own family of origin and how the pitfalls and the touching moments are all blended together. His sister, the title character, was clearly a beautiful soul and dedicated wife, mother, daughter and teacher. Yet this book does not idolize her. An inmate I saw once had tattooed across his chest: "My blessings are my curses". This book takes that sentiment and makes it a family crest. A heartwarming book, highly recommended.