Mindful of Him by Hollis Hughes

Is chance all there is in the universe? Hollis has written a tale of a 1950s college student who takes a long awaited journey to find out.

Rob McLain had watched his parents' caskets lowered into the earth. How could he believe in a God who would allow such a tragedy to happen? The enlightenment philosophy that he had been introduced to in college would now be his guiding star.

Rob's wonderful wife Beth was his only stability in his troubled time. Yet Rob's inner rage boils over one tense night. Beth falls and miscarries. Unsure of the future, Beth goes to live with her parents.

Feeling he has lost even that part of his life, Rob decides to drop out of college and take a long overdue journey of discovery. He will hike into the forest and find the spring that is the origin of the river flowing near his childhood home. He is compelled to make the journey, even though the season is moving toward winter.

I can only describe this novel as a tale, almost a fairy tale. Mixed in with Rob's journey are experiences of fairy tale quality. Wise characters live along the river, imparting to Rob just what he needs to carry on. Rob sees visions and hears celestial music. Nature and weather combine to make almost a mythical setting for his journey.

This is a highly entertaining yet intellectually stimulating novel. My only warning is that there is language that some might find offensive. The language is not vulgar, however, and entirely fits the scene.

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Hollis Hughes was born on a cold February day in 1928, into a ramshackle house in a rural area, with no insulation, plumbing, or electricity. Hughes worked his way through Athens college. He was a high school teacher and counselor, and taught night classes at a community college. Hollis too the time to write as he was caring for his wife, struck with Alzheimer's Disease. Today he is retired from education and is an avid fly fisherman, hiker and gardener. He and his second wife make their home in Alabama.


WinePress, 276 pages.

I received a complimentary ebook from the publisher for the purpose of this review.