A love story based on Annette Valentine’s father, Eastbound Bus From Flagstaff portrays an individual who comes to recognize the significance of family, loyalty, and the richness of his heritage. Simon Hagan is running from a lie, intent on believing his own efforts and perseverance can overcome anything. He abandons roots that are his foundational strength and hides behind his charm, living … behind his charm, living every moment as if life’s daring him to fail–again. He’s reckoning with his father’s God who could have delivered better outcomes but didn’t.
This first installment in an epic trilogy that begins in the 1920’s, unique in its purposeful illumination of the human condition and its ideological indifference to God, asks the question: “Why was God silent when I needed him?” Simon’s return to the notion of forgiveness is the catalyst for a new beginning as it reunites Simon to the place he once thought was the impossible dream. The answer for Simon isn’t blowing in the backwinds of his dream chase; rather, it unfolds in the outstretched hand of a villain.
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I enjoyed this book, even though it was a bit of a quiet, slow read.
Not what I expected, or what I usually read, but still, hard to put down.
This was an exciting read starting in one state, taking the character to another and so on. A time when farmers worked from sun up to sun down and the children dreamed that life away from the farm would be sugar coated. Very well written with several surprises during the read.
A great book about a young man finding himself & learning to trust in the Lord. Didn’t end quite like I wanted but i still enjoyed It & am glad I read it.
This book showed how we can impact the lives of others for good or cause them heart ache. It was a period book which helped me to understand what went on in the 1920s. Life can hold struggles and your family is very important.
I loved this book.
AMAZING,!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
Although it takes a while for the story to get to Flagstaff, it is a remarkably satisfying tale, based on the life of the author’s father, of searching for the meaning of one’s life. Especially after a terrible death plays on the mind of a young man, blame can easily become part of him. Simon felt that he hurt everyone he touched, and questioned why he was even here.
Written in a compelling deep point of view, the tale–set just before and during the Great Depression–takes Simon from Kentucky to Detroit, then in a shocking episode to Arizona. His father’s deep faith clashes with Simon’s reality, but his words echo through the decade the book covers.
The note About the Author says that “Eastbound From Flagstaff” is the first in a trilogy about her father. I am so looking forward to the next two books. Beautiful writing.
Eastbound From Flagstaff by Annette Valentine is a marvellous debut novel. The genre is Christian historical, covering the decade of the 1920’s.
The novel is about a journey – a physical journey and a spiritual journey to the heart of God. God never gives up on us. “That God you’re challenging is not going to give up on you, and He’s not going to let you be God either.” No matter how far we go, no matter what we do or think, our Father God, like the father in the prodigal son, waits for us. He longs for us and He desires us. No one is ever too far from the heart of God.
Life hurts. When troubles come, we can rest in God’s arms and trust Him, or we can run from Him in anger. “Those unfair events… hopes and dreams while the Creator stood by.” God is never silent or passive but in our pain, we cannot always see Him. “We’re at liberty to ask our questions, but God’s sovereign.”
The novel shows the two responses to hurt – there are characters who trust God’s goodness in spite of circumstances, and there is a character who blames God and himself, wallowing in anger. “But God… was silent” – or maybe we just aren’t listening? “Your fight with God is one-sided” – wise words spoken in love. Do we have a person who will speak the truth in love to us?
Eastbound From Flagstaff was a powerful novel of discovery. It was a discovery of God’s love and faithfulness but it took in some hard roads along the way.
Sometimes we carry burdens that were never meant for us. “Put your burden down… You’re hanging on to guilt… and lies… Cooperate with the fact that God loves you.” God is a God of love. He wants us to lay our burdens, our guilt and pain at the foot of the cross and exchange them for grace and love.
The characters were well drawn, realistic and easy to empathise with. Life can be hard at times and while it is easy to direct our anger at God, we need to realise that He loves us and He is faithful. It is far better to admit that we do not have the answers but we need to trust that God is good and He will sustain us.
I will leave you with this powerful quote:
“God’s mercy was wider than my wanderings.”
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
“A love story based on the author’s father,
Eastbound From Flagstaff, is a fresh testament to the resiliency of the human spirit with one stouthearted man’s quest to improve life’s offering.”
The first chapter had Simon Hagen waiting in a train station for his wife Celeste and their baby daughter. This was the first that Simon will have met his new daughter.
The next chapter takes up back to Simon’s beginning. He is 17 years old when he witnesses the death of his mother. A horrible thing that affected his father and siblings terribly.
Simon then decides to leave the farm and strike out on his own. He goes to Detroit where he gets a job at the Ford factory, not liking factory work, even though he desperately wants to own a Model T.
After he leaves the Ford factory, he becomes a cop and stays in the job for over 5 years. During the time he was at the Ford factory he meets Virginia Mallory and her family, husband Charlie, daughters Rachel and Celeste.
Simon is staying at a boarding house, the owner Mrs. Butcher and fellow boarder Mr.Begbie. These two are definitely characters, Mrs. Butcher coming across as a mean old lady and Mr.Begbie is a scrappy character.
This story also has a lot of reference to God, Simon’s father is a man of God and after Simon’s mother’s death, he has given up on God. So this story is one of forgiveness and one of going back to your roots. It takes Simon from the farm with dreams of his future to Detroit, from Prohibition and the mob to wanting to be an actor to getting tuberculosis and having to spend time in a sanitorium in New Mexico.
What did I think of the book? At first, I did not think I would like the book. As I got into it further, I had a hard time putting it down and as I got to the end of the book, I did not want it to end. Since it is a trilogy, I am looking forward to reading the next two books to find out what more there is in Simon’s life back at the farm and what will happen in his future. Can he forgive God? I highly recommend this book!