Glory Tent

The Lilies of the Field #2

by William Edmund Barrett

Signed. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Wraparound reads 'Autographed for You by the Author - Marshall Field & Company,' thus a nice association copy from a legendary Chicago department store. In addition, has the bookstore label of a legendary bookstore, Aspidistra. on the Mylar cover. A sequel to Lilies of the Field, featuring its hero Homer Smith. Light dust offsetting at edges, else a fine, unclipped copy in a Mylar jacket cover.

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1977

About the author

Willam Edmund Barrett was born in New York City in 1900. He was Roman Catholic which is reflected strongly in his works. On February 15, 1925 he was married to Christine M. Rollman.

He attended Manhattan College. In 1941 he became an aeronautics consultant for the Denver Public Library.

He was a member of PEN and the Authors League of America, and also the National Press Club of Washington, D.C. He was president of the Colorado Authors League from 1943–1944.

Three of his novels were the basis for film productions: The Left Hand of God, Lilies of the Field, and Pieces of Dream which was based on The Wine and the Music.

Reviews

[Books I'm Not Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Lilies of the Field, but I'm still glad I found it!

[Dirk Wickenden · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent novelette that I only recently (2019) found out about, after reading Lilies of the Field the same year. I tracked down a first edition hardback (published in my year Of birth, 1967) from the US of The Glory Tent via Abe Books. I really wanted to read more about the charming everyman Homer Smith. He does get himself in some scrapes when stopping off on his road trips but it is his sense of honour that makes him see a job through.

This was even more about faith than Lilies was but although it's over fifty years old, it is still relevant. It makes me want to read more about Homer Smith but I believe he only featured in the two novelettes (and of course in the film of Lilies of the Field and the TV movie Christmas Lilies of the Field). There was talk of a TV series but it didn't happen. The world could do with it now, in these dark days and we need to hear of miracles (including as depicted in this book). I guess though the TV series Highway to Heaven and even the old Bill Bixby Incredible Hulk series are a lot like a Homer Smith TV series could be.

William E Barrett was a Catholic but he has written on the Baptist/Evangelist method in The Glory Tent very well. I look forward to reading more of his books (better late than never, as the saying goes).

2025: recently read The Glory Tent for the second time. I have written a fan fiction short story that combines Homer Smith and characters from The Lilies of the Field book, the film version, the book sequel The Glory Tent, the TV movie sequel Christmas Lilies of the Field and the film A Patch of Blue. It's entitled 'Walk by Faith: A Homer Smith Story': https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14443372...

[Gary Sites · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd little book. My copy is only 72 pages. It's even shorter than Barrett's more well known The Lilies of the Field. I read this one because I enjoyed "Lilies" so much, and was eager to visit with Homer Smith again. I love this character. But, something was missing in this sequel that I just can't seem to put my finger on. Maybe because the writing was so sparse that the characters just couldn't be fleshed out. I couldn't get a sense of who they were and the motivations behind their actions. Homer seemed a bit strange as well. The ending was really odd, too. Although it tied the loose ends, which weren't many, Barrett did it with a page and a half last chapter that seemed to be an afterthought by an editor. That last little chapter begins:
"So, a story is told and there are always readers who want to know what happened ultimately to the people involved. Readers will seldom accept the fact that if a story has any value or meaning, the fate of individuals is of little importance. Readers want to KNOW. One tries to oblige."
Well, yes, I am one of those readers. Barrett gives us a couple of sentences per character to tell us a little more of what they went on to do. It wasn't much, but I guess it was enough. I just feel like Barrett could have done so much more with this story. It's a good one, just not fleshed out very well. I can't say I wasted my time though, because it only took a little over an hour to read. Plus, I got to visit with an old friend, Homer Smith, again.

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Homer Smith has seen the American West. He is now going to explore the Midwest. As he drives into Missouri he is sidetracked by the sight of a revival tent.
Nostalgia for his young days takes Smith into the parking lot and the tent. Disaster has struck the revival. Their evangelist has left. They need a replacement for that night. Somehow Smith is persuaded to fill in.
Everything is fine until a young white woman, whose presence along with her sister seems strange in a Black revival tent, stands up from her wheelchair and walks to the podium declaring Smith has healed her.
The book touches on, explores many aspects of revivals, faith, personal relationships, healing and ambitions. The biggest drawback is the narrative form giving the book a feeling of recital. It is a short, fast read that raises some interesting questions.

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barrett's writing is compelling and sparse. Even though this story was strange, it was strange in a good way and will leave me thinking about it for weeks!

[Jeff Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing little story. Quite different from lilies of the field. Not sure this would hold up well on it's own, but I thought it was interesting as a follow up to Homer Smith's original story

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet with a poignant end.