Manyebook

Surprising Marcus

A secret, a plan, a scheme of which I am not to know is in the works. Which presents me with two choices: Do I play along and wait until all is revealed and declare genuine surprise and pleasure, assuming the cabal has something to do with me? Or do I launch an investigation, searching for clues, weighing evidence, trying to separate truth from fiction, and hoping that one of the conspirators caught scheming in some undeniable way, spills all, and I have my moment of triumph?

Marcus Hathaway, the main character in Fine Old High Priests and A Wise, Blue Autumn, is turning seventy-five. Reaching that milestone causes him to reflect, not only on the events of his life but also on what lies ahead, when his time on earth will finally run out.

In the tender and insightful way his readers have come to expect, author Donald Smurthwaite recounts both the humorous and somber events in Marcus's life, finding in his marriage, love for his family, church service, friendships, and occupation ample evidence of a rich life, well-lived. Marcus may whimsically wonder if there are such things as golf and fly-fishing to be enjoyed in heaven, but his real concerns are universal: do our earthly relationships continue, and how does one best prepare to pass from here to there?

If you are a father or a grandfather, or if you've ever loved a dad or a grandpa, you'll be grateful for this comforting reaffirmation that mortality, in spite of the setbacks and disappointments it may bring us, is itself a wonderful journey and a prelude to the joy of a glorious eternal life.

About the Author Donald S. Smurthwaite graduate from Brigham Young University in communications and now works as a communications specialist for a federal agency. He is the author of several novels, including Fine Old High Priests; A Wise, Blue Autumn; and Letters by a Half-Moon. He and his wife, Shannon, are the parents of four children and live in Boise, Idaho.

  • Format
  • paperback
  • Pages
  • 150
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9781590382493
  • Genres
  • fiction
  • Release date
  • 2004