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3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Don't Buy This Jan 29, 2011
By Sam Torode
This is an earlier version of my novel, published under a pen name and now out of print. The new versions are available here:
The Dirty Parts of the Bible: A Novel (paperback)
The Dirty Parts of the Bible (Kindle)
Thanks!
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Quick read but historical inaccuracies disrupted an otherwise enjoyable read Feb 18, 2011
By Co-editors Nancy Gray and Dennis Field
"Co-editors of "First Year University: A Survival Guide""
I bought this book for two reasons (besides its curious title, of course): it was cheap, and it received rather high ratings. The reviews I read generally said it was a quick read, an appealing story, and well-told. I'd have to agree.
The story, set in the dirty thirties, is about coming-of-age, religiosity, morality and love. The main character, Toby, is enormously likable, as were the other characters. The story is well-paced, and it is punctuated with interesting philosophical discourse and contemplation which I liked very much. I was surprised to read, after finishing the book, that it is based on the ancient Jewish tale of Tobias and Sarah. Nice work!
There were several things about the book, though, which I found very annoying. One was a formatting glitch that produced indentations of whole paragraphs at random. Maybe the problem is related to the conversion from paper to kindle format. Whatever, it was very distracting.
I was very disappointed by several lapses in historical accuracy, and I almost quit reading the book a couple of times because of the errors. At one point, Sarah says of a gift she receives, "It is pretty ...the nuns gave me a plastic one when I was a little girl..." Holy smokes! Plastic in the '20s? I don't think so.
And then there were the inaccurate food references. I don't know about Red Delicious, King David and Smokehouse, but I do know that Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples are modern cultivars. Then the pork cracklins... I'm sounding like I'm nit-picking, but I really can't believe that Millie, a good southern cook, made cracklins by taking pork skin scraps, rolling ém in batter, and frying it all up in lard.
Multiple historical inaccuracies disrupted an otherwise enjoyable read. That's why I'm giving it three stars.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Refreshing, romantic, and rip roarin' funny! May 25, 2007
By Claudia Mair Burney
"ragamuffin diva"
Tobias Henry, son of a Baptist preacher, is teetering on the verge of manhood. He's on a journey of discovery, and it's a `trip'! All good traveling bad boys need a wise guide, and Tobias finds one in Craw, a hobo who has everything money can't buy. There's plenty of comedy in this coming of age story, along with a surprisingly satisfying romance, and you'll find a bit of a mystery tucked inside the pages, too. Like all good southern storytellers, Conner even provides a fish story! Full of numinous country charm and wisdom, Sammy Conner is a rare find. He's actually very, very good at what he does. The Dirty Parts of the Bible is like a tall glass of lemonade: delicious, refreshing, and it leaves you wanting more.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
LOVED it Aug 17, 2007
By book.of.the.moment
"reviewer"
The story is about 19 year old Tobias Henry from nowheresville Michigan. The son of a Baptist preacher, Tobias grew up with religion and the Bible being a huge part of his life. Now older, and thinking for himself, he finds himself really questioning its validity. He also finds himself thinking about girls. A lot.
When a bizarre accident involving mass amounts of liquor and a bird leave his father blind, it is up to Tobias to save the family. His father confides in him that he has a stash of money hidden in a dried up well in Texas, and he pleads with his son to find it and bring it home. Tobias then embarks on the journey of a lifetime, in which he befriends a hobo, meets relatives he had never met, and discovers what it means to truly live.
"The Dirty Parts of the Bible" hooked me on the first page; the writing is smart and witty, and earned my respect right off. The story itself is great--one that kept me interested the entire way through. (The times I found myself snickering didn't hurt either.) The story moves along quickly and is told in a humorous and direct way. Personally, I can't wait to see more from Sammy Conner.
Two thumbs waaaayyy up.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Reviewed by Barb Radmore Jul 13, 2007
By Front Street Reviews www.frontstreetreviews.com
Dirty Parts of the Bible has it all. Its beguiling front cover, back cover and inside title pages provide the anticipation for what is inside. The font, page layout and chapter titles are well chosen. And, after all the outside appearances are appreciated, it also holds a wonderful story, strong characters and a writing style to match.
Dirty Parts of the Bible is the story of Tobias Henry, a boy turning into a man in the rural land of Michigan. He is the son of a fire and brimstone preacher, a man who has no heart for any other than his vengeful God. He is originally from Texas but ""Down south. most places has a surplus of Baptist pastors already. Texas main exports are cotton, oil and preachers." Tobias' mother tries her best but she is no match for her husband. Tobias has been in love with the same girl since he was small but she not only has never returned his interest, she is marrying someone else. He has no job, no girl, no plans or real hope for the future. But one freak accident changes all that. His father is blinded after an automobile crash, unable to see, he is fired from his job. He gives Tobias a map that he says is the location of money he hid at his family farm in Texas. He instructs Tobias to travel to Texas. get the money, bring it home and save the family from starvation and homelessness.
The book travels with Tobias as he makes his way to Texas. His adventures leave him penniless but with the help of Craw, who he meets along the way, he arrives in Texas to work on his uncle's farm. It is too much fun to read to spoil this review with too many details. The trip is not only from Michigan to Texas but also from boy to man, from reader to doer and from loneliness to love.
Sammy Connor has provided all the essentials of a good book- a plot that brings lots of laughs and a few tears, a writing style that is comfortable and matches the story, and characters that are pure joy. Tobias and Craw are finely tuned, created as both stereotypes of the times and come off the page as true people, concrete people of heart and soul. The title of the story is a brilliant starting point for a book, it portrays the humor and depth that are the foundation of the novel. It is a book of philosophy disguised as a coming of age story in a mask of history. Literature at its most basic and pure.
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