The Bible Salesman

Clyde Edgerton

All his life Henry Dampier was instilled with good Christian values by his aunt Dorie. He grew up in North Carolina. Now, at 20, he is striking out on his own as a Bible salesman. Henry, although naive, is not sin free. The Bibles he sells are free ones he requests from different publishers for his "church". He meets Preston Clearwater, a man who looks like Clark Gable. Clearwater has been a decorated soldier in World War II. Now he tells Henry he works for the FBI.

Clearwater wants Henry to help him break up a car theft ring. Henry is excited for a chance to work for the government, even as an unknown assistant paid in cash. The money is good and he can still sell his Bibles when he isn't helping Clearwater. He doesn't realize, though, that actually Clearwater is part of the car theft ring and he's now an accessory.

Henry travels up and down the southern east coast helping Clearwater. At one stop in Georgia, he meets Marlene. She's working a roadside fruit stand. He's been reading his Bible and has decided it says things are different than his straight laced aunt had taught him. Marlene might be the girl to help him decide. He's so busy with Clearwater, though, it's hard to see Marlene as often as he'd like.

The Bible Salesman is a quirky, likeable novel. It's told in a low key voice, usually focusing on Henry. There are narrative trips into his past as he grew up with his aunt and her two successive husbands. Henry may be naive, but when needed, he can be shrewd - ask his sister at the end of the book.

Clyde Edgerton's voice in this novel fits with our rosy colored past vision of 1950. The cruel side of the world is a major part of the story. Yet through Henry's eyes, it's toned down because he doesn't realize what he's involved in. Although I finished this book a couple days ago and have thought about it, I'm still not sure of my final conclusions about it. I liked The Bible Salesman, yet was never pulled in so much as I was interested in what was going to happen. The characters didn't become real for me but still kept my attention. Check it out and see what you think

Notice: Non-graphic violence, Suggestive dialogue or situations