River Jordan

by Augusta Trobaugh

RIVER JORDAN A Novel Augusta Trobaugh Publishing to coincide with The Tea-Olive Bird Watching Society. Set in a small town well below the Mason-Dixon line, River Jordan features an improbable friendship among three people who come to depend on one another like family. Jordan, a girl with an adventurous imagination, is hungry for warmth and companionship, since she gets no more than scolding from her strict mother and stepfather. When Jordan’s step-grandmother, Miss Amylee, needs a live-in nurse, the family’s housekeeper suggests her sister, Pansy—newly saved and released from prison—for the job. Pansy, Jordan, and Miss Amylee form an unlikely trio, and through small and large triumphs, each recovers a part of herself that was lost.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Augusta Trobaugh is the author of three previous novels, Sophie and the Rising Sun, Resting in the Bosom of the Lamb, and Praise Jerusalem!, a semi-finalist in the 1993 Pirates Alley Faulkner competition. She holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Georgia, with a concentration in American and Southern literature. Her work has been funded through the Georgia Council of the Arts.

Reviews

[Julie Durnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, just beautiful! How I love a coming of age story set in the south, but this had the beautiful message of forgiveness of sin paid for by Jesus our Savior as well!

[Colleen Maclennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read about forgiveness and finding your way. Memorable characters that bring hope to readers.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite book of the summer, a slight novel that totally accomplishes what it sets out to do. Trobaugh tells her delightful story through the eyes of a precocious child whose mother has married a wealthy man after her husband's death. Neglected, Jordan is befriended by the family cook. The interwoven stories of the characters in a small town in the south in the 50's and their resolution is a pleasure to read.

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is similar to the help in the era and location, but the plot and characters are entirely original. The theme is uplifting and after reading it you'll feel like a better person for sharing in their journey.

[cati · Rating 4 out of 5]

FOUND THIS AT THE BROOKSIDE OFFICE SUPPLY SHOP $1!! REALLY GOOD SOUTHERN FAMILY STORY. NO OVER THE TOP RACISM, OR LANGUAGE, ETC. HALEY WILL READ IT NEXT. SWEET CHARACTERS WITH INTERESTING THINGS TO SAY!

[JulaPDX · Rating 2 out of 5]

A simple story with not enough plot and too many characters. Too easy of a read, but good if someone is looking for a book to read through/process quickly with little emotional attachment to the characters.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book. I will be checking out more from this author.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Help meets Anne of Green Gables, of sorts. cute story

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I have found a new favorite author. This book was very inspiring, and I enjoyed it very much!

[Viki Siderakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story. I enjoyed reading it.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. An easy uplifting story to read.

[Shannon The Co-Captain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book with some great southern female characters! I'm sure you'll fall in love with Jordan...I did :)

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read with memorable characters.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story, wished it had been a little longer, maybe learned about her before she was in prison.

[Mom2nine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Trobaugh's writing style is truly lyrical and her stories are gentle and peaceful. I love her books and only wish there were more of them.

[Carmen Redding · Rating 5 out of 5]

The word that comes to mind when trying to describe River Jordan is delightful. From the very first page to the last Augusta Trobaugh captivates us. She takes us to the place where story magic happens. How does she take common ordinary words and transform them into people and places and ideas in her stories? There is no “highfalutin” terminology in her books, just the soft whispery voice of a storyteller telling a tale in the slow cadences of melifluos Southern speech.

Trobaugh has a special talent for bringing her characters to life whether black or white, young or old, rich or poor, healthy or sick, generous or selfish. The overriding theme of the book can be summarized in this quote: “…all human beings, no matter what their gender, their race, or their age, deserve to be treated with affection if possible. Or simply with respect, if affection is not possible.”

I loved this book and highly recommend it. It will be a delight

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say this book was just "okay". As it is set in the segregated South, I thought there might be some interesting commentary or insight into race relations, but there wasn't. When a ghost angel and Jesus show up in the prologue, I thought there might be some solid elements of magical realism or fantasy, but there wasn't. In the end, it was just a story, and after I finished, I shrugged my shoulders, muttered "okay", and moved on. By no means was it a terrible book, but it wouldn't be at the top of my recommendation list.

[Samaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

An OK book I'm sure many will enjoy but admittedly faith based works aren't my favored genre and I developed no real attachment to its characters.

I also quickly tired of its saccharin sweetness both in plot (characters who were unrealistically good or positive in their actions and how quickly people fell in love or recovered from dementia for instance) as well as character names "Honey Boy", "Miss Sweetie Pie".

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars
I honestly adored many of the characters in this book, Jordan and Pansy and Peony especially! The storyline was just a little all over the place, I thought, and the writing inconsistent. But I loved some of those characters and will read another of her novels If the same characters are featured.
Does anyone know of her later books have any of the same characters?

[Catherine Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartstrings

Absolutely loved this story. One lucky little white girl to receive so much love and understanding bestowed on her by the domestic help in her home and community

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant, easy, quick read. I enjoyed the characters and their voices. I think I would have liked it better if I hadn't been comparing it to Trobaugh's Swan Place, which I ultimately liked more.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this book until just past half way through it. Whenever I read the phrase, "Little did they know" I cluck my tongue and know I'm in trouble. Most of the characters were enjoyable and I liked the concept of the story, but it lost its way.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was not the best book in the world, i got bored with it and i never finished it, it moves so slowly!!!!

[Liticia · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting to think about in comparison to The Help. This was an extremely quick read for me.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a religious person, but it was otherwise an enjoyable read. Jordon was a little girl that was the highlight of the book for me.

[Lori Henrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deep in the old south this story follows the life of Jordan during one summer in her young life. It is a well told story. The characters seem true to the time period. I enjoyed reading it.

[Marilyn Boswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy reading, good book over all. Not normally my kind of book but I did enjoy it and the content was good.

[Staci]

free kindle bok

[Arlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read but not as good as the author's novel, Swan Place.

[georgia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok read but not as food as whistling through the graveyard