No information was found on the author except for the conclusions that were
drawn from the picture on the back of the novel. Jan Karon looks to be in her
mid-sixties, and seems to be a strong Christian women from her writing style
used in the novel. Jan Karon's At Home in Mitford, is set in Mitford, North
Carolina in present time. Father Tim is the main character in the novel. He is
the rector at The Lord's Chapel in Mitford. He is a sixty year old friendly man
who devotes his time to his church, the members of the church, and his dog,
Barnabas. He is a simple man that likes his simple life. Next is Emma, who is
Father Tim's secretary at the church. She is a middle-aged, nosy sort of woman.
She is a gossip, a snoop, and very finicky, but an overall nice and caring
person. Mrs. Sadie is a ninety year old Georgia peach. She always brings apples
and pies to Father Tim and others. Her family was very wealthy, therefore she
owned half of the county in apple orchards. She is a very sweet,old, Christian
lady. Dooley is an orphan girl who moves in with Father Tim. She is a teenage
tomboy who instantly befriends the rector and constantly bugs him. Mitford is
the ideal small town. Nestled between mountain ranges, and overlooking
beautiful, rolling, foothills, it is the type of town where you could fall
asleep anywhere. Crime and trash were not thought of, only chocolate chip
cookies from mattie baxter's bakery. It was the type of town where everybody
owns a flower garden. The town contained one grocery store, one clothes shop,
one bakery, and all other business were on the same block. Father Tim was the
perfect rector for such a town. He is a jolly old man who never met a stranger,
never married, and had a set pattern according to the day of the week. One could
only imagine how a sixty year old, simple man would feel when a huge two hundred
pound wolf hound dog falls in love with him out of nowhere and would not let him
out of sight. Father Tim first saw the dog when he was tackled by the running mutt
early one morning. The rector had never liked dogs and would not dare consider
owning one. But something happened when the dog, soon to be named Barnabas, sat
completely still while Father Tim recited his latest sermon, the only thing that
he could think to say when the dog would not stop licking him. The two instantly
became sort of fascinated with each other, and were instantly bound for life.