Praise Jerusalem!

by Augusta Trobaugh

Praise Jerusalem! spans a few vital weeks in the lives of three elderly Southern women who have been thrust into a concerted effort to find their New Jerusalem - a utopia of heavenly perfection. In this case, however, it is the small town of Jerusalem

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Southern, Drama, Contemporary, Novels

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

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

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two stories, one of childhood, one of growing old are interwoven in this narrative of Ms. Amelia. It's a story of compassion, of fear of compassion, of discrimination, of entering the world of 'others', of faith, of love, of aging, of remembering and of starting a new life.

I put this book on my Kindle, free of charge, thanks to Pixel of Ink and am so happy I did.

A few gems:

"things that are over and done with are the saddest things in the whole world" (Location 2796, Kindle)

"But sometimes I felt like no matter how long I lived in that town, it would never be any different. Like somebody wrote me into a story, and I couldn't change any of it to save my life." (Location 5888, Kindle)

"You loves folks - all kinds of folks - the strongest of any little thing I ever heard of. But you fight about it with yourself all the time." (Location 7153, Kindle)

"Made in His image. Black as they are. And naked. And hungry - don't matter. Still in His image. All of us are, and the means we gotta love each other. Any way we can and no matter what!" (Location 7735, Kindle)

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Praise Jerusalem" by Augusta Trobaugh
This book tells the story of three unlikely southern women who find themselves brought together by their life circumstances. For some people, as they age and their income doesn’t keep up with the costs of maintaining their previous lifestyle, and they are forced to make decisions which profoundly change their lives. Amelia’s story is like other stories of southern women from past times who were brought up to maintain proper appearances and not ever ask for help. It seems it was more appropriate to disappear from a community rather than bring shame upon oneself and one’s family name by having to change their outward life style to one of poverty and need.

Amelia found herself in that situation and rather than modify her life and be humbled in front of her neighbors and in her own community, she chose to make a move to Jerusalem, Georgia. The main characters Maybelline, Mamie and Amelia are an interesting blend of characters and their unlikely friendship and love shows how very different people can come together and provide friendship and support for one another and become a new type of family.

Trobaugh’s telling is humorous and serious in turns. The pictures she paints of tent revivals, and praise singing rings true from ‘Shall We Gather by the River’ to ‘Jesus Loves Me.’ This is a story of time gone by and the truths of friendship and respect are a lesson for us all yet today. It is a story not only of past childhood, but also of new beginnings.

Thank you to Bell Bridge Books for the copy of this book.

[Shari Larsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amelia is an aging Georgia matron who is forced by her financial situation to leave her hometown and move in with two other women; the outlandishly preachy Maybelline, and Mamie; a take-no-nonsense black woman. On the journey to an old farmhouse that Maybelline owns, Amelia begins to confront her childhood memories of the black women who worked for her family, and tries to make peace with the sorrows she observed. She is also trying to adjust to a new lifestyle, while struggling to "maintain appearances" like her mother always did.

I liked the first 3/4ths of this book; it had promise; drama mixed with wry humor, but towards the end the childhood part of Amelia's story got confusing and didn't make a lot of sense. It was one of those books where when I got to end, it made me wonder, what was the point of it all?

[Bobbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good story teller can make you feel for the characters, feel what they are feeling, and make you anticipate the next step in the story. In this novel, the author was unsuccessful in making me feel for her characters. There were a few glimmers of hope as I read where I almost felt something and those feelings were more for peripheral characters than for the main character, 'Melia. Aunt Valley was, to me, the best drawn character.
The book moves slowly...oh so slowly and I just wanted her to get on with it. The "great mystery" to me is why this book is so popular.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Wonderful book, drew me right in from the first sentences...This book is about three ladies in the South who travel together to make a new life. I was so impressed with how the author writes about memory, and the shifting in and out of memory and present reality.

The handling of racial and class issues are also subtly done, as the ladies get to know and care about each other. A surprising book for me, as I bought it on a whim for my Kindle, and had no idea what I was getting into. Loved it.

[DKM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good but slow. Extremely slow...

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read! Eccentric southern women on a road trip. Imagine the possibilities...

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Like a blend of the Help and Driving Miss Daisy. Will read more from this author.

[Mokihana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was wonderful reading the stories of the child Amelia and the elderly Amelia. The writing is lyrical and kept me interested to the very end of the book. I think that Aunt Valley was my favorite character, and I enjoyed seeing how the elderly Amelia was able to change and grow in her process of moving to a new location.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. The characters were very real and realistic as well. It reminded me of magic realism in that there were some very odd occurrences and experiences couched in extremely mundane situations. It is memorable, readable, and entertaining.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Praise Jerusalem

This was a good book how ever I do wish the author had done more to make it more interesting.I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

[MissSusie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of three women from very different backgrounds, Miss Amelia was a well to do white woman who is down on her luck after her husband dies, Maybelline who has had some bad luck with men but Praises Jesus and sings hymns and decides that Jesus has told her to take care of Miss Amelia much to Miss Amelia’s chagrin, the two eventually meet Mamie or as she prefers to be called Mrs. Johnson a young black woman who helps the ladies out then decides to go with them on their journey to Jerusalem (Georgia) to get away from her abusive man. These three woman set off on a journey of self-discovery and new beginnings.

While on their journey Miss Amelia has all these memories of when she was a child being taken care of by Aunt Valley a black maid. These memories become very real to Miss Amelia like she is reliving them. So this book goes back and forth in time from when Miss Amelia was a little girl to the present time with her new companions.

Maybelline is quite a character and it’s cute the way Miss Amelia gets so frustrated with her, Miss Johnson’s character I didn’t feel was fully fleshed out and I think could have been much more.

This was a good book if a bit slow for me; I would consider it Christian/Southern fiction. Southern fiction I love, Christian fiction not so much.

I received this book from Librarything Early Reviewer program.
3 ½ Stars

[Ellenh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Librarything & Bell Bridges Books for getting me this copy of Augusta Trobaugh's initial book. Though released in 1997, it was available again in this new multi-format ebook edition ( not fond of this size!), and there were hints of a movie. I would love to see this story in movie release. Great writing, I could see her descriptions, and loved her combination of words.
The story of three unlikely women, who in their elder years are looking for new life in Jerusalem, Georgia. The faith and strngth, or desperation of these women to actually pack up & go to a place they've only heard about thru Maybelline's (named after the mascara) memories. The back of the book talks about the poignant kinship, struggling redemption, southern, salty, lyrical wise, words is all true. This is a definite recommended read!

[Vicki Valenta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three elderly women -- a southern belle, a white trash hairdresser, and a black woman determined to live life her own way -- set out to make a new life together in a place they don't know. Mix in a little bit of shame, fierce detetmination, three lifetimes of memories, and a whole lot of old time religion. You get a story that’s funny, touching, and enlightening and you learn that you can make your own family. I especially enjoyed the old hymns that are woven into this book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am at a loss to describe this book. It's well-written, totally engrossing and held my interest to the very last page. I wouldn't want to get into examining the storyline here for fear of giving something away. Let's just say that if you read it, you won't be bored! My only quibble is that the memory segments are done in a typeface that I found a bit hard to read (thin and slightly slanted letters), other than that--four stars!

[Judy King · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half could have moved a bit faster, but an easy read about how there are no coincidences and people come together as they are supposed -- to help each other and make the cycle of lives complete. There are moments that are reminiscent of The Help...in a totally different time and story.

[Rose Cimarron]

I couldn't get into this book. I've had this in currently reading for so long it's getting silly. Best to be honest. This isn't a comment on the book or author: I've read two other of AT's books and enjoyed them. I may come back to this sometime in the future.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book as well as Resting in the Bosom of the Lamb. I felt as if I was in the depp south. Enjoyed the characters and the story in general. Looking forward to reading more books by the author.

[Loralee Lillibridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hallelujah!!

In lyrical prose both soul-stirring, yet tender, Augusta Trobaugh's unique storytelling brings the reader to an emotional fulfilment and deeper understanding of the wonders of God's love. A story to treasure and read more than once.

[Valeree · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. It was thoughtful and well written, but the ending did not resonate with me. I would have appreciated Amelia being able to reflect a bit on the flashbacks she was experiencing.

[Elizabeth (Betty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy book by Augusta Trobaugh. They make me laugh out loud and sometimes cry, and make me remember growing up in a small town in Georgia. They are always a joy to read!

I have recommended her books to several people.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually helped read some of the proofs of this book before it was published. LOVE THE FINISHED PRODUCT!! It really captures the true Georgia - not some screenwriter's version!

[Christina's Book Chronicles · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story itself wasn't too bad but I think due to the writing, it was hard to get into. It took me three tries to get through this book but I've finally finished it.

[Alison]

on my kindle

[Claire Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, cleaver, southern story.

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the first half much better than the second. The second half got a little too weird for me.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful book....

[Stormy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new Southern lit along the lines of Florence King. A colorful and heartwarming story of survival and sisterhood.

[Maryellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story!

[Jenn Kaufmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit confusing in the beginning to figure out what was going on....but very good once you get into it. Likable characters