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This book took me a long time to read. It wasn’t a book that you would stay up all night to read to get to the next chapter. I would read a chapter here and there. After reading it I wasn’t inspired by the tragic one after the other stories about her life. I must admit that after reading the first couple chapters, I didn’t think I could finish the book. The author, Sandra Dallas, uses way too much shock value when she writes. I found it hard reading about the loss of Hennie’s family, the death o This book took me a long time to read. It wasn’t a book that you would stay up all night to read to get to the next chapter. I would read a chapter here and there. After reading it I wasn’t inspired by the tragic one after the other stories about her life. I must admit that after reading the first couple chapters, I didn’t think I could finish the book. The author, Sandra Dallas, uses way too much shock value when she writes. I found it hard reading about the loss of Hennie’s family, the death of her husbands Billy and Jake, the tragic death of her daughter, miscarriages, the drinking, gambling, abusing of women, murder of a baby, graphic death of the man working the dredge, prostitution, etc. etc. I was glad at the end there was finally forgiveness and happiness for both Hennie and Abrahm.
Now for the positive parts of the book!! I thought that Hennie was a strong woman with a lot of character. She would have to be because she has endured and seen a lot. I thought it was quite ironic/symbolic that her last name was Comfort. Maybe her prayers for sale brought “comfort” to all who wanted them. I also liked Hennie’s friendship with Nit. I think there is a lot to be said about building bonds between the old and young.
I also enjoyed the quilting aspect and metaphors in the book. I liked how she finally mended the ripped quilt after her baby’s death. It shows that their can be healing after forgiveness.
Last but not least, I am grateful I live today and didn’t have to endure and see the things described in this book.
…more Nov 13, 2010 Melissa
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it was ok I’m usually able to get through a book fairly quickly… but this one just kind of stumped me. I couldn’t get into it. I know there were so many people who liked this one… but I just wasn’t a fan.
I think part of my problem was that I just didn’t like Hennie. She’s telling Nit these stories to help her adjust to living in her new home… but the stories are DEPRESSING!! “This woman left her husband and that father killed his own baby and this person died and that baby died and this person comm
I’m usually able to get through a book fairly quickly… but this one just kind of stumped me. I couldn’t get into it. I know there were so many people who liked this one… but I just wasn’t a fan.
I think part of my problem was that I just didn’t like Hennie. She’s telling Nit these stories to help her adjust to living in her new home… but the stories are DEPRESSING!! “This woman left her husband and that father killed his own baby and this person died and that baby died and this person committed suicide …” DEPRESSING!!! And Nit loves these stories and says several times that they help her to “heal”. I’m not sure how stories like that would help anyone heal! I probably would have thrown myself off the mountain listening to Hennie tell her doom and gloom stories. It made me just a tad crazy…
That being said… I did like the ending. I did like how things pulled together and worked out. Just not enough to make the rest of the book REALLY enjoyable for me…
…more Jun 07, 2009 Staci
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really liked it
The stories, that is what draws you into this wonderful book. The stories that are weaved into present day and links you to the past. Hennie is eighty-seven years old and she’s experienced pretty much everything life can throw at a person: husband dying in the Civil War, brutality at the hands of a cruel man, losing her only child, living in harsh conditions, becoming a widow for the second time. She posts a sign on her fence out front that says, “Prayers for Sale.” There’s a story behind this s
The stories, that is what draws you into this wonderful book. The stories that are weaved into present day and links you to the past. Hennie is eighty-seven years old and she’s experienced pretty much everything life can throw at a person: husband dying in the Civil War, brutality at the hands of a cruel man, losing her only child, living in harsh conditions, becoming a widow for the second time. She posts a sign on her fence out front that says, “Prayers for Sale.” There’s a story behind this sign…and one that I’m not going to tell you, but this sign is what brings Nit, a young, newlywed girl to her front door. From that chance meeting you get to watch as their friendship grows and how living life in the high country of the Rocky Mountains can forge relationships that last forever. This is definitely a character driven book. I loved Hennie by the time I came to the end, she’s one tough cookie and she will stay with me for some time. Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down. It made me think back to my childhood when my Grandpa Bill would get out his harmonica and start blowing on that thing, singing, and bringing all us grandkids to his feet. From there he would start telling his own stories; driving a Model A car when he was eleven, running moonshine in Kentucky, being wild with his buddies, how he met my Grandma and took her to the outdoor picture show. I loved it when he shared these treasures with us, they fascinated me and the memory of them will stay forever. Storytelling needs to be a tradition that is handed down to the next generation. So, if you’re looking for good old fashioned story telling….then look no further, because this book fits the bill. I’m new to the author, Sandra Dallas, and Kaye of Pudgy Penguin Perusals assures me that Dallas is a great author. She was so enthusiastic about her that I’ve requested Tallgrass already from the library!!!! I feel pretty confident about Kaye’s recommendation…because I loved this book!!
…more Feb 25, 2010 Beth
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it was amazing I loved the main characters, Hennie and Nit. And I loved the way the story unfolded and then, how the back-story of Hennie’s life was perfectly stitched into place. This was true storytelling from page one to the end.
Dallas has a wonderful talent for creating a sense of place. I could smell the mountain air, taste the fresh raspberries, and hear the biting winter winds howl.
Feb 24, 2009 Sharon
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it was amazing Sandra Dallas’ novel takes its title from a sign on Hennie Comfort’s fence, carved when she was “so happy that she had prayers for sale, since there was nothing to ask for.” Hennie is an 86-year-old twice-widowed woman living in a small mining town called Middle Swan, Colorado, during the Great Depression.
The “prayers for sale” sign brings Nit Spindle, a 17-year-old newlywed girl, to Hennie’s door, requesting a prayer for her stillborn daughter Effie. The two women become fast friends, and Henni
Sandra Dallas’ novel takes its title from a sign on Hennie Comfort’s fence, carved when she was “so happy that she had prayers for sale, since there was nothing to ask for.” Hennie is an 86-year-old twice-widowed woman living in a small mining town called Middle Swan, Colorado, during the Great Depression.
The “prayers for sale” sign brings Nit Spindle, a 17-year-old newlywed girl, to Hennie’s door, requesting a prayer for her stillborn daughter Effie. The two women become fast friends, and Hennie shares her many stories of life during the Civil War and in the little mining town with Nit as the two work on quilting projects or pick berries together.
The book is filled with both laughter- and tear-inducing stories of the people of Middle Swan, told through Hennie’s observations. Dallas’ writing is engaging and her characters well-drawn. By the end of the book, readers will feel like they have made a group of interesting new friends.
(Review based on advance reader copy with three-chapter audiobook sampler.)
…more After having read and enjoyed this author’s “True Sisters” so much, I got a couple of her earlier books out of the library. This one centers around an 86-year-old widow living in a small mining town in the mountains of Colorado in 1936, and flashes back to her coming West in a covered wagon after the death of her first husband in the Civil War. Over the course of a summer and autumn, Hennie tells her life story to her new young neighbor Nit Spindle (what a name…), and what a story it is! If yo After having read and enjoyed this author’s “True Sisters” so much, I got a couple of her earlier books out of the library. This one centers around an 86-year-old widow living in a small mining town in the mountains of Colorado in 1936, and flashes back to her coming West in a covered wagon after the death of her first husband in the Civil War. Over the course of a summer and autumn, Hennie tells her life story to her new young neighbor Nit Spindle (what a name…), and what a story it is! If you’ve had any interest in pioneers, you will love this. If you’ve had any interest in quilting, you will also love this! Nowhere on the book jacket is there any mention of the part that quilting plays in these women’s lives, and I think if there had been, more people might pick it up to read — especially all those Jennifer Chiaverini fans (the Elk Creek Quilt Club series). I feel like the cover picture was designed to appeal to those who’d read “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter”, but this is a much warmer, happier story. I will definitely be reading more by Sandra Dallas.
…more Jul 22, 2009 David
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really liked it This book is a current best-seller, and it’s easy to see why. It is set in the Colorado mountains during the mining boom of the early 20th century (apparently loosely based on the history of Breckenridge). It’s a story of friendship between an old woman, long-time resident of the town about to be forced to move out, and a young woman just arriving. The old woman has a lifetime of stories to tell – some tender and loving, some brutal and heart-rending. The young woman has her own secrets. The two This book is a current best-seller, and it’s easy to see why. It is set in the Colorado mountains during the mining boom of the early 20th century (apparently loosely based on the history of Breckenridge). It’s a story of friendship between an old woman, long-time resident of the town about to be forced to move out, and a young woman just arriving. The old woman has a lifetime of stories to tell – some tender and loving, some brutal and heart-rending. The young woman has her own secrets. The two women bond over quilt-making and household tasks, while we learn about the mining efforts going on around them. There’s quite a bit of mention of the “hookhouse” (brothel) in the town, but never any explicit descriptions of what goes on there – fortunately. But there are some more graphic descriptions of violence and suffering. And, if you’re so inclined, a number of Kleenex moments. …more Oct 01, 2012 Donna
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really liked it This book ambled along at country pace, but I really liked it. It didn’t really seem like a story though. It was more of someone telling a lot of stories. It was about relationships and how sometimes we have to reach outside of ourselves, not only to offer our gifts to others, but to also be touched by the gifts of others.
I have been working on my genealogy for a long time. And I have had conversations with my grandma and with my husband’s grandma (who are both now deceased) to hear their storie
This book ambled along at country pace, but I really liked it. It didn’t really seem like a story though. It was more of someone telling a lot of stories. It was about relationships and how sometimes we have to reach outside of ourselves, not only to offer our gifts to others, but to also be touched by the gifts of others.
I have been working on my genealogy for a long time. And I have had conversations with my grandma and with my husband’s grandma (who are both now deceased) to hear their stories and this book reminded me of those cherished moments. I also liked how the author pieced the stories together to create another story.
…more Nov 26, 2013 Jan
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it was amazing Hennie Comfort is 86 years old and living in Middle Swan, Colorado, a mining town high up in the mountains. Her daughter Mae wants her to leave the harsh Colorado winters and to come live with her in Iowa. “Mae was right, Hennie admitted to herself. If she fell, the snow would cover her up, and nobody would know where she was until she melted out in the spring.”
Hennie really doesn’t want to leave her home and friends in Middle Swan, a place she’s lived in for 70 years. She arrived there at 16 at
Hennie Comfort is 86 years old and living in Middle Swan, Colorado, a mining town high up in the mountains. Her daughter Mae wants her to leave the harsh Colorado winters and to come live with her in Iowa. “Mae was right, Hennie admitted to herself. If she fell, the snow would cover her up, and nobody would know where she was until she melted out in the spring.”
Hennie really doesn’t want to leave her home and friends in Middle Swan, a place she’s lived in for 70 years. She arrived there at 16 at the end of the Civil War, still grieving the loss of her husband and baby daughter. Her childhood friend Martha had moved there with her husband and had told his best friend Jake all about Hennie. Both men are working mining gold. Jake sends a letter to Hennie along with a picture of himself and says he would like to marry here if she’s willing. With nothing but her grief and memories to keep her in Tennessee, Hennie sells her land, packs her things and moves to Colorado. She finds Jake to her liking and settles down into a long and happy marriage.
Most of the story is set in 1936 and is told in flashbacks to Nit, a 17 year old woman who has just moved to Middle Swan with her husband Dick. Hennie first sees Nit standing outside her fence one winter day, reading her small sign that says “Prayers for Sale”. Nit says to Hennie, “It says Prayers for Sale. I’m asking how much do you charge, and is it more if you’re in need than if you’re wanting just a little favor? Do sinners pay more than the righteous? And what if the Lord doesn’t answer? Do you get your money back?” Nit asks Hennie to pray for her baby that was stillborn. Hennie knows the heartbreak of losing a baby. She takes the girl, who admits she is terribly lonesome, under her wing and helps her settle into the life of a mountain woman married to a gold miner. Hennie becomes more like a mother than a friend to Nit. Their shared love for quilting and storytelling brings them closer.
Hennie is a wonderfully nurturing person and a good friend to those in need. She has a kind and gentle way of giving to people the things they need yet can’t afford. She gives them in a way that lets them feel they are doing her a favor by taking the items and not accepting charity. Such was the way she gave a warm winter coat to Nit and fur lined gloves for Dick, saying they had once belonged to Mae and Jake and she no longer had any use for them. Of course all the gifts she gave were always new and had never belonged to anyone previously. Her friend Tom told Hennie that if she added up all the coats of Mae’s that she had ordered from the catalog to give to needy women over the years, Mae would have had a coat for every day of the month. I think there were probably many people over the years who would not have survived living in Middle Swan, physically or emotionally, were it not for Hennie’s kindness and generosity. I think a person would be hard pressed to find a better friend than Hennie Comfort.
Life definitely sounded hard in Middle Swan, especially during winter. Hennie says winter lasted 7 months. The conditions were harsh, some of the work the men had to do on the gold mining dredge was extremely dangerous, and a woman with children was suddenly dealt a very bad hand if her husband was killed in an accident. There was no such thing as OSHA or worker’s compensation back then. The employer did nothing more than pay for the coffin if a man was killed on the job, leaving his family completely destitute. Life was rough on all in those situations.
I loved so many of the unique expressions the characters used. One of my favorites was “tap ‘er light” that Hennie used with Tom and others to say farewell. I wondered where the expression came from. Was it a Colorado expression or one that was just used in mining towns? I googled it and found my answer. The phrase comes from the practice of setting explosives which miners had to pack into holes drilled in the rock face, carefully tapping them with a hammer. Hit the charge too hard, or miss and strike a spark off the rock, and BOOM! Today the phrase means, “take it easy,” or “be careful and have a good day.” The other one I liked was “you’ve got it pretty good here”, the phrase everyone always used as a compliment when entering someone’s house.
Prayers for Sale is a wonderful story about friendship and community. I loved this book and give it 5 stars. I looking forward to reading more books from this author. This was my sixth Sandra Dallas book and definitely my favorite. I’m planning on reading Tallgrass next.
…more Once again I wish for 1/2 stars, then I could give this book 3 1/2 stars. There were several things I really liked about this book: the themes; friendship, forgiveness, love, and faith. There aren’t many books anymore that, without being preachy, have sort of an underlying religious current going on.
I enjoyed the characters, particularly Hennie, the main character. I loved that she was always looking to help someone. (Thus the Prayers for Sale–they didn’t really cost money).
The book was se Once again I wish for 1/2 stars, then I could give this book 3 1/2 stars. There were several things I really liked about this book: the themes; friendship, forgiveness, love, and faith. There aren’t many books anymore that, without being preachy, have sort of an underlying religious current going on.
I enjoyed the characters, particularly Hennie, the main character. I loved that she was always looking to help someone. (Thus the Prayers for Sale–they didn’t really cost money).
The book was set in Colorado during the Gold rush. I was unaware that after people had mined for gold, men came up with a faster, more dangerous way of getting gold out the earth. They would use dredging boats that would literally dig up the streams and rivers. People lived really hard lives back then, I don’t think we have any idea how difficult life was. I thought the book would be more of a historical novel but it was really more of a character study.
I’m not sure there was anything I didn’t like about the novel, but I wasn’t sure how I liked the way the author “framed” the novel. Hennie was a storyteller, and she told her stories to another character, and by telling her stories, the plot was revealed. At first I didn’t like the way it was in bits and pieces, but when I realized that the quilts that were made and talked about in the book, were also bits and pieces, sewn together to make a finished product, and that the lives in the book were kind of like that–trials and other incidents strewn together to form a life and a finished product. When I saw it that way, I saw that format as maybe a little more planned than I had thought at first. It was an interesting way to put a novel together. …more Jun 13, 2010 Becky
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it was amazing I love this kind of book: meaty yet enjoyable, enthralling, historically-based, with rich and endearing characters and a few twists, ie. just plain good story-telling.
Hennie, the main character is herself a great story-teller with a wealth of interesting, harrowing, sometimes humorous, tender, wise, and wonderful stories to tell. She is also a quilter and believes “A quilt circle’s like a crazy quilt. You got all kinds in it. Some members are the big pieces of velvet or brocade, show-offish, wh I love this kind of book: meaty yet enjoyable, enthralling, historically-based, with rich and endearing characters and a few twists, ie. just plain good story-telling.
Hennie, the main character is herself a great story-teller with a wealth of interesting, harrowing, sometimes humorous, tender, wise, and wonderful stories to tell. She is also a quilter and believes “A quilt circle’s like a crazy quilt. You got all kinds in it. Some members are the big pieces of velvet or brocade, show-offish, while others are bitty scraps of used goods, hoping you don’t notice them. But without each and every one, the quilt would fall apart.”
The story line brings Nit Spindle, a 17-year-old newcomer to the small Colorado mining town, to 86-year-old Hennie’s door where an old sign on the fence reads”Prayers for Sale” carved when she was “so happy that she had prayers for sale, since there was nothing to ask for.” An instant friendship is formed through which they share the hardships, happy and trying conditions, memories and life’s lessons, including courage, resiliency, hope and forgiveness each woman has learned.
A lovely, sweet and satisfying book.
…more Sep 23, 2009 Amy
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really liked it I’ve read several books by this author before (Diary of Mattie Spencer. Alice’s Tulips, The Chili Queen, The Persian Pickle Club) and like her way of telling a tale about a time past. The women in her books are realistic, with a strength like that which I see in many of the women of my acquaintance. We’re not superheroes, just women who face the challenges, joys and grief that life throws our way, and keep going with the business of living our lives and loving our families. This was a gentle boo I’ve read several books by this author before (Diary of Mattie Spencer. Alice’s Tulips, The Chili Queen, The Persian Pickle Club) and like her way of telling a tale about a time past. The women in her books are realistic, with a strength like that which I see in many of the women of my acquaintance. We’re not superheroes, just women who face the challenges, joys and grief that life throws our way, and keep going with the business of living our lives and loving our families. This was a gentle book. I loved the details about Colorado, mining and quilting. My mind has been rather frazzled, so a gentle story filled with stories itself, was just what I needed, though occasionally it was almost too slow for me and I wanted her to get a move on. Thanks for the recommendation (and loan of the book) Elizabeth. Check out some of her other books. …more Mar 20, 2018 Linda
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really liked it
Sweet story of a friendship between an octogenarian woman and a newly married young girl. Setting is in the mountains of Colorado, in the 1930’s, in a mining city. Life was simple but so very difficult. Quilting and sewing was a necessity to create clothing and blankets but also a time to communicate with neighbors. The main character, Hennie, is realizing the nearness of her life ending but has many stories to share with Nit, a recent arrival to the city. A good read!
Apr 14, 2018 Sandy Holmes
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really liked it
Her books are near impossible to put down! I just read 300 pages in less than 48 hours. She is a great storyteller with interesting characters. This book is set in a mountain town in the 1930’s in Colorado. I have read about 4 or 5 of her books and they are all different, but engrossing.
Jul 09, 2011 Amy Salamon
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did not like it Terrible. Just terrible. I would ban this book if I could, and not because of the actual content. It’s because the writing is so simplistic, it upset any semblance of literary-ness (I’m so upset, I can’t think of actual words).
[Full disclosure: I was specifically looking for a light and quick read. I guess I got one, although I’ve read light reads that didn’t insult my intelligence like this.)
My main complaint is Dallas left nothing to the imagination. Anything that had a semblance of symbolism,
Terrible. Just terrible. I would ban this book if I could, and not because of the actual content. It’s because the writing is so simplistic, it upset any semblance of literary-ness (I’m so upset, I can’t think of actual words).
[Full disclosure: I was specifically looking for a light and quick read. I guess I got one, although I’ve read light reads that didn’t insult my intelligence like this.)
My main complaint is Dallas left nothing to the imagination. Anything that had a semblance of symbolism, metaphor, culture, or local flavor, she had to explain in 6th grade language. Sometimes she’d take an entire paragraph to explain how a quilt is like life – made up of different colors and patches and worked on by many hands, yada, yada. Sandra Dallas, I want to figure things out myself. I’m pretty smart and I’m capable of it. The symbolism and story itself is much more pleasant, enjoyable, and surprising when I can make my own discoveries. It’s like receiving a gigantic wrapped present and finding tiny diamond earrings inside.
Grating characteristic #2: The main character was so flat, I think she’d been run over several times by covered wagons and later pounded into a pancake. I think the only reason she existed was to tell a string of unamusing stories about townfolk past and present. I didn’t care about her; I couldn’t identify or sympathize with anything about her. And again, we’re not told much about her. All she does is quilt and tell stories. She tells about her past, but for some reason, I JUST DON’T CARE. Again, I think this is probably because Dallas just TELLS you – doesn’t SHOW you anything. Sandra, show – not tell. We’ll catch on, unless your audience is a cat.
Other than that, the other literary constructions were so amateurish. (The sour woman suddenly becomes compassionate when helping with an emergency birth! Not all stories have happy endings! Can the new girl find a friend in a lonely town? Maybe the husband who has a bad job will end up getting one offered out of the blue from someone who doesn’t know him. Hmmm, just maybe?) And this irritated me to no end: Dallas hints in the first chapter that there is some big looming secret that Hennie (main character) has to tie up before leaving Colorado for good (but we KNOOOOW that’s never going to happen because she loves it so much). So every chapter will be going right along in it’s lumbering way – not unlike a day-old calf just learning to walk – and all of a sudden, she’ll throw in a sentence like this. “They lived happily in their mountaintop home from then on. But Hennie had some unfinished business before she could expect the same.” And then left it at that. And who could have ever imagined that Dallas would string that along right to the last four pages? NOT ME.
It’s really a shame because I loved Tallgrass, one of Dallas’s earlier books. My next book better have some depth.
…more Jan 14, 2012 June Ahern
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it was amazing Widow Hennie Comfort is eighty and six years old and is faced with the fact that she is old – too old to be living alone in her mountain home in a mining town of Middle Swan, Colorado. Her only child, a daughter wants her mother to live with her in Iowa and Hennie is reluctant. Still, she knows that another winter in the mountains will be too hard on her, so she’s made up her mind at the end of the year to move-in with her daughter. It’s within that year the story, set in 1936 during the Great D Widow Hennie Comfort is eighty and six years old and is faced with the fact that she is old – too old to be living alone in her mountain home in a mining town of Middle Swan, Colorado. Her only child, a daughter wants her mother to live with her in Iowa and Hennie is reluctant. Still, she knows that another winter in the mountains will be too hard on her, so she’s made up her mind at the end of the year to move-in with her daughter. It’s within that year the story, set in 1936 during the Great Depression, takes place.
A new young neighbor, Nit Spindle, skinny little thing sees Hennie’s sign, “Prayers for Sale” outside her house and asks for a special prayer. This is the beginning of the friendship between the 86 year old and 17 year old women.
Both have stories to share, but Hennie’s stories are a history, a time of life no longer existing in the 1936’s. Hennie’s stories go back when she was a young bride during the Civil War and she, living in the South and how she came to live in Colorado – all told through stories while spending time with Nit. Within the stories Hennie is releasing past regrets, problems, mysteries and putting to rest as she prepares to leave her beloved home.
It is a beautifully written, very country home-style story. Since I love reading, I loved reading Henni’s stories and how they brought historical times as seen through a young woman’s experiences of great loss, and the realization she must be brave to move beyond them, and how, no matter what age we are, we still have dreams and memories that make up the entirety of who we are. The stories weave, like the quilts in the book, in and out and end up being one whole piece.
Nit is a lonely woman who also has experienced the same loss that Hennie did as a young woman, so the bond between the two is deep and they find they can share each others burdens over a quilting frame and story telling.
“There’s an awful lot of living in that quilt,” Nit says. And with Hennie the quilt is not finished. The ending is a surprise, not unpleasant, but it stitches together loose ends properly. Says Nit, “Now you’ve stared on another story,” to which Hennie replies, “Yes, I have.”
I could see and hear Hennie easily. The language is of the time and place and at certain words, I had to stop to grasp what was being said. I like that! I enjoy learning period and location language.For a cozy plain and simple read, down to earth people, people who suffer, find joy in the small parts of life to do more than just survive, this is a good read. Highly recommended.
…more Dec 03, 2012 Alana
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really liked it I read this book when I found out it had one of the characters from The Diary of Mattie Spenser in it, and while it’s not a sequel, per se, it does bring some closure to that storyline as well as introduce another collection of characters that jump right to life. While The Diary of Mattie Spenser was more engaging as a story, Prayers for Sale has a whole different feel to it that is very special. It is told as if one was sitting in a sewing circle (a quilting circle, to be more specific), listen I read this book when I found out it had one of the characters from The Diary of Mattie Spenser in it, and while it’s not a sequel, per se, it does bring some closure to that storyline as well as introduce another collection of characters that jump right to life. While The Diary of Mattie Spenser was more engaging as a story, Prayers for Sale has a whole different feel to it that is very special. It is told as if one was sitting in a sewing circle (a quilting circle, to be more specific), listening to one another gossip and share stories. The young and new to the area learn from the older ladies and those who have been there for a long time. We learn the history and culture of the region by the little bits and pieces picked up as each new story is told and connected to the bigger picture, much as piecing together a crazy quilt, each piece its own history.
While I have a harder time as a reader connecting to short stories, the way they were connected to the lives of Hennie and Nit made me connect more to each of them as a woman, to the history they represented, but also to the importance of learning from those with more experience. No one should ever be discounted because of their age; their very age is what gives them the right to respect because we have no idea what wonders and pain they have seen in their lifetime.
While I do not relate to the quilting aspect as well, I definitely understand what it is to sit and chat over a cup of coffee, while making dinner or when doing some other project. My hands can’t stay still even while watching TV, which is why I’m always crocheting a scarf or doing something else that feels productive in some manner. Women in the days of the Civil War or the Depression and in between did not sit idle, it simply wasn’t in them. But they had a way of turning a work activity into a leisure, making profit out of something to connect them and relax their minds and bodies. It is an art that has, sadly, mostly been lost in today’s world. It’s nice to remember a time when ladies could sit around a fire, work with their hands and enjoy just connecting to one another.
…more Aug 08, 2011 Georgia Herod
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it was amazing
Set in 1936, with the Great Depression having taken its toll, Prayers for Sale is the story of a unique intergenerational friendship, forgiveness, healing. The central character, 86-year-old Hennie Comfort, has lived in Middle Swan, in the high country of the Rocky Mountains, since before CO became a state. When she first meets 17-year-old Nit Spindle, a newcomer whose husband has taken a job in the local gold mine, Hennie is drawn to the young, lonely, isolated girl who is grieving. The harsh c
Set in 1936, with the Great Depression having taken its toll, Prayers for Sale is the story of a unique intergenerational friendship, forgiveness, healing. The central character, 86-year-old Hennie Comfort, has lived in Middle Swan, in the high country of the Rocky Mountains, since before CO became a state. When she first meets 17-year-old Nit Spindle, a newcomer whose husband has taken a job in the local gold mine, Hennie is drawn to the young, lonely, isolated girl who is grieving. The harsh conditions of life that each has endured help them to create an instant bond, and a friendship is born, one in which they share deepest hardships and confess darkest secrets. As the relationship begins, Nit shares that her infant daughter has died. In response, Hennie shares her suffering—her husband being dragged off to fight in the Civil War; hooligans coming in search of him because they thought he had gone AWOL; their attacking Hennie, resulting in the bizarre death of her young daughter.
In the silence following the telling of her story, Hennie says, “But time passes, and you find peace of a kind. You will too, Mrs. Spindle. That’s why I told you my story. You’ll wake up and go an hour without thinking about your baby. And one day, when you think of her, why, you’ll remember her sweetness, not her death.”
Nit said, “Your story heals me.”
Thus begins the relationship which grows from this healing place. Stories and quilting are significant activities in the novel. Surprises at the end that tie up all the loose ends! Interesting title! I highly recommend this book–and am looking forward to reading other work by Dallas.
…more Feb 09, 2011 Tammy Stith
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really liked it This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I’ve never read a book by Sandra Dallas, but if all her books are like this style, I will
be buying all she has written.
I really fell into the story, I was pulled in from the 1st chapter.
Also I enjoy a good story teller and Hennie was one to put them out there. She befriends
a newbie to the mountains (a young grieving girl, Nit) and they bond instantly. Hennie and Nit have something in common, their (1st)child dyed at a very young age.
Hennie’s 2nd daughter has insisted that Hennie cannot stay a I’ve never read a book by Sandra Dallas, but if all her books are like this style, I will
be buying all she has written.
I really fell into the story, I was pulled in from the 1st chapter.
Also I enjoy a good story teller and Hennie was one to put them out there. She befriends
a newbie to the mountains (a young grieving girl, Nit) and they bond instantly. Hennie and Nit have something in common, their (1st)child dyed at a very young age.
Hennie’s 2nd daughter has insisted that Hennie cannot stay another winter by herself in the mountain and has asked her to move to Denver to live with her. Hennie doesn’t want to leave the mountain place she has known for 60 years. Hennie has been widowed for more that 30 years but has a good friend Tom that has been there for her since the death of her husband Jake. Tom has a love for Hennie that she never knew, Tom asks her to travel the world with him and to marry him. Hennie says yes! But before she
leaves the mountain with Tom theres something she must due, she must forgive a man that had let her child die in a river, the very hardest part after all these years is to forgive this man, but she does and a whole lifes burden has been lifted. Hennie is ready leave the mountain and start a new life with Tom and travel the world she has always dreamed. …more Apr 27, 2010 Ashley
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it was ok So after checking this out for the 3rd time to try to finish this book I can sum it up in a few good quotes from the book. It was a very slow read. I’m so happy I finally finished it. But I couldn’t just let this one go. The book was about an elderly lady living in a mining town helping others through their life. It was about how forgiveness heals your soul as well as the other person’s soul.
Very misleading title-Prayers for sale (a sign outside her home, the meaning behind it) – I was so happy
So after checking this out for the 3rd time to try to finish this book I can sum it up in a few good quotes from the book. It was a very slow read. I’m so happy I finally finished it. But I couldn’t just let this one go. The book was about an elderly lady living in a mining town helping others through their life. It was about how forgiveness heals your soul as well as the other person’s soul.
Very misleading title-Prayers for sale (a sign outside her home, the meaning behind it) – I was so happy that I had nothing else to pray for, “I’ve got prayers to sell”. No money will buy prayers I am happy to say them for free.
“God doesn’t’ put up with people that do meanness on and on and on” (Good point people do bad things and suffer from Karma)
“Quilts are like lives. They’re made up of a lot of little pieces”. (Yes and some pieces are not pretty and life is difficult but with the darkness comes the sunshine, it snows a lot in Colorado).
Oh and I had never heard of scripture cake before, and went online to find the recipe. Sounded interesting.
http://www.abetterhope.com/funpage.htmlSo That pretty much summed it up for me. It was an ok read, I’m glad it’s over. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have patience and time, so I included my favorite lessons from this book to save you the trouble if you don’t have time to read it.
…more Jun 02, 2015 Karen
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really liked it Hennie Comfort is 86 years old and living in a mining town high in the mountains above Denver. She’s one of the most senior residents there, and she knows everyone’s stories. When a young couple arrive, Hennie takes the wife, Nit, under her wing. They quilt together and Hennie tells story after story after story as a way to orient the young women to people in the town and about life at such a high altitude. In the process, both women gain perspective and grow closer and find a degree of healing Hennie Comfort is 86 years old and living in a mining town high in the mountains above Denver. She’s one of the most senior residents there, and she knows everyone’s stories. When a young couple arrive, Hennie takes the wife, Nit, under her wing. They quilt together and Hennie tells story after story after story as a way to orient the young women to people in the town and about life at such a high altitude. In the process, both women gain perspective and grow closer and find a degree of healing for the losses they have experienced.
Dallas takes a very masculine place from Colorado’s history and brings into view the women who lived in mining towns: wives (some very young, some old, some old before their time), common law wives, dance hall girls, comfort women. They had to find ways to feed and clothe their families, ways to cope when their men gambled, drank, ran around, hit them or left. And the novel shows how women in these towns offered each other support at crucial times, despite some palpable conflicts.
But even though the novel depicts real hardships, the mature protagonist is strong, wise, skilled, self-reliant, grounded and hopeful.
…more Jul 06, 2009 Kathy
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really liked it It’s 1936 and the Great Depression has taken its toll. ighty-six-year-old Hennie Comfort has lived in Middle Swan, CO – up in the high country of the snow-covered Rocky Mountains – since before it was Colorado. When she first meets 17-year old Nit Spindle, Hennie is drawn to the young grieving girl. Nit and her husband have come to this small mining town in search of work, but the loneliness and loss Nit feels are almost too much to bear. One day she notices an old sign that reads, “Prayers for It’s 1936 and the Great Depression has taken its toll. ighty-six-year-old Hennie Comfort has lived in Middle Swan, CO – up in the high country of the snow-covered Rocky Mountains – since before it was Colorado. When she first meets 17-year old Nit Spindle, Hennie is drawn to the young grieving girl. Nit and her husband have come to this small mining town in search of work, but the loneliness and loss Nit feels are almost too much to bear. One day she notices an old sign that reads, “Prayers for Sale” in front of Hennie’s house and takes out her last nickel.
This is the beginning of an unforgettable tale of friendship between two women and the secrets they’ve kept in order to survive in a rugged Colorado mining town, one with surprising twists and turns, and one that is ultimately a revelation of the finest parts of the human spirit.
I liked it. It was similar to the Guernsey Book in that there is a bond created within the community of women who look after and help one another. I could smell the home baking and cooking and see the tiny stitches in the quilts. I could hear the sound of the screeching of the “dredge” and feel the cold of the mountain wind and snow.
…more Sep 14, 2012 Michele
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it was amazing This is a four star book with a five star ending. Wasn’t sure what I thought of the first half, but by the end I was in love with it. The good woman that Hennie is and the care she takes of the younger generation is so heartwarming.
I would read this before, “True Sisters,” or “Diary of Mattie Spenser.” Just ordered it for the personal library.
I giggled when I read this line: 232
“People feel sorry for spinsters and widows, but there’s more than one married woman that envies them.”
Seeing woman ta This is a four star book with a five star ending. Wasn’t sure what I thought of the first half, but by the end I was in love with it. The good woman that Hennie is and the care she takes of the younger generation is so heartwarming.
I would read this before, “True Sisters,” or “Diary of Mattie Spenser.” Just ordered it for the personal library.
I giggled when I read this line: 232
“People feel sorry for spinsters and widows, but there’s more than one married woman that envies them.”
Seeing woman take care of each other during hard times is always refreshing and beautiful.
The cover is a disgrace to the words inside. Whomever designed it missed the point of the book. It should have been a quilt not a dress!
I really think Sandra should write a book similar to this where an old woman describes each quilt with the story behind it. Wouldn’t that be fun?
I wanted her to explain what, “tap er light,” means, but I had to look it up on a miner’s website. It means, take it easy.
I think this would make a great book for a book group. …more May 10, 2009 Donna
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really liked it The setting for this tale is 1936 in Middle Swan, Colorado, a small gold-mining town. Hennie Comfort is in her 80’s and befriends a young, married girl, Nit Spindle, who has just moved to town with her husband. The two women have much in common & bond instantly. Hennie decides to take Nit under her wing & teach her what she needs to know to survive the harsh life that living in Middle Swan brings. Hennie shares her life story (and many other people’s story) with Nit over the course of th The setting for this tale is 1936 in Middle Swan, Colorado, a small gold-mining town. Hennie Comfort is in her 80’s and befriends a young, married girl, Nit Spindle, who has just moved to town with her husband. The two women have much in common & bond instantly. Hennie decides to take Nit under her wing & teach her what she needs to know to survive the harsh life that living in Middle Swan brings. Hennie shares her life story (and many other people’s story) with Nit over the course of their friendship. Both women have suffered tremendous loss & are looking for ways to overcome. For the most part, Hennie has accepted her past but still has one major wound to heal, whereas Nit has to overcome her fear of something tragic happening in the future so that she can enjoy today. This is a sweet story of friendship and the things that bring women together. Hennie’s stories don’t always have a happy ending, but, as Nit tells her at one point “Your story heals me.” This is a worthy story of tragedy, second chances, contentment and forgiveness. …more Aug 20, 2010 Ellie Revert
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really liked it
OMG—I love this story! About Colorado mining country in 1936 era. An old lady shares her life and stories with a newcomer to town—Hennie and Nit. This story kept me up til I finished it–and now I’m sad that it’s over.
Mar 21, 2018 Sue
rated it
liked it
Easy read -good story line – if you like a story teller
You will enjoy this
I feel such a kinship with Sandra Dallas’ characters? They are as real and complex as people we know.
May 21, 2010 Jennybug
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it was amazing I really loved this book. It made me laugh, it made me cry. I loved how the story was intertwined. I think this book would make the best movie. Although, several tragic events take place through out the book, I love how strong willed, kind, generous, yet tenacious Hennie was. I also loved how human she was, she had weaknesses.
I am not a quilter, but this book totally makes me want to take up the hobby. I loved all of the fun vocabulary in this book. I looked up quite a few words, and laughed a I really loved this book. It made me laugh, it made me cry. I loved how the story was intertwined. I think this book would make the best movie. Although, several tragic events take place through out the book, I love how strong willed, kind, generous, yet tenacious Hennie was. I also loved how human she was, she had weaknesses.
I am not a quilter, but this book totally makes me want to take up the hobby. I loved all of the fun vocabulary in this book. I looked up quite a few words, and laughed at words I already knew, but had never used in that way before. For example, “I’m not sure I haven’t had my complaint since before I came here” Pg 238. That is a perfect word usage. Gewgaws from Pg 188 is also one of my new favorite words. Probably cause I can never have quite enough little gewgaws.
I loved the whole situation on Pg 168, with Zepha worried about breaking a needle stitching her husbands shirt.” Breaking a needle when sewing something that belongs to your man means he’ll have a new love before the stitching wears out. I love how Hennie tries to help her friend by giving her the advice that she needs to hear.
This book had many wonderful quotes.
“A quilt circle’s like a crazy quilt. You got all kinds in it. Some members are the big pieces of velvet or brocade, show-offish, while others are bitty scraps of used goods, hoping you don’t notice them. But with out each and every one, the quilt would fall apart….. (Pg 141)
“And you’ll be eighty and seven next year whether you’re married or not.” He thought a minute. “You told me once you thought can’t was the awfulest word you ever heard, so I don’t believe it when you say it.” Pg 288
“I should have forgiven you a long time ago, but I couldn’t do it, couldn’t bring you that ease. All those times I was praying for everybody else, I ought to have sent up a prayer for you. I believe if I had, it would have eased me.” She thought that over and added, “I can’t rightly ask the Lord to answer prayers when I have bitterness in my heart.” Pg 300
…more Sep 19, 2011 Diana
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it was amazing This book was recommended to me by a friend. She said her book club had read the book and enjoyed it. Thank you for the recommendation, Shirley !! Hennie Comfort is 86 years old lives in Middle Swan, Colorado. She has lived a long life full of joy, happiness, grief, hate…the whole gammet. As the story begins, she meets 17 year old Nit Spindle. There is a sign in front of Hennie’s house that is old and faded and says, “Prayers for Sale.” Hennie sees Nit looking at the sign and Nit asks Hennie i This book was recommended to me by a friend. She said her book club had read the book and enjoyed it. Thank you for the recommendation, Shirley !! Hennie Comfort is 86 years old lives in Middle Swan, Colorado. She has lived a long life full of joy, happiness, grief, hate…the whole gammet. As the story begins, she meets 17 year old Nit Spindle. There is a sign in front of Hennie’s house that is old and faded and says, “Prayers for Sale.” Hennie sees Nit looking at the sign and Nit asks Hennie if she can buy a prayer. Hennie tells her that she doesn’t sell prayers, but she will give them for free. Hennie is a wonderful story spinner and eventually Hennie and Nit develop a marvelous, indescribable friendship. They share their love of their husbands (even though Nettie’s two husbands are dead), love of quilting, story telling, grief over the loss of their babies, picking berries, cooking, and walking in the mountains. Many of us would not even think of giving this friendship a chance to develop with the age difference and the diversity of their social standing and money. Perhaps we could all take a lesson from Nit and Hennie. What people are we not speaking to because they are so different from us? What could each of us to offer the other?
I liked the book not only because of the interesting characters and what had happened in their lives, but the descriptions of Middle Swan (love Breckenridge), the dredges, history of the area,but what the story teaches us. (friendship and forgiveness) …more Feb 15, 2011 Kathy Davie
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it was amazing Oh lord, I hated this book…it was so good. I cried and remembered and cried. Thank god, it had an ending with which I could live.
Arriving fresh in Middle Swan, a mining camp in the Colorado Rockies, from tragedy after the Civil War, Ila Mae, as she was then known, has come to Middle Swan to possibly marry a friend of her childhood friend. We learn of Hennie’s 70 years in Middle Swan while Hennie is in her last year there when she befriends Nit Spindle, a young newlywed who has followed her equ
Oh lord, I hated this book…it was so good. I cried and remembered and cried. Thank god, it had an ending with which I could live.
Arriving fresh in Middle Swan, a mining camp in the Colorado Rockies, from tragedy after the Civil War, Ila Mae, as she was then known, has come to Middle Swan to possibly marry a friend of her childhood friend. We learn of Hennie’s 70 years in Middle Swan while Hennie is in her last year there when she befriends Nit Spindle, a young newlywed who has followed her equally young husband to work on the mining dredge in the middle of the Depression.
Facing an ultimatum, Hennie does her best to help Nit fit in and thrive in Middle Swan by telling stories of how Hennie arrived and her experiences here while the two of them explore the mountains, hunt berries for preserving, and plants for health with quilting sessions in between. But that deadline is coming up and there’s just two things Hennie must do before she must leave Middle Swan forever and both terrify her.
Dallas makes you feel the weather and taste that chess/Kentucky pie. The dialog rings so very true for the class of people of whom she writes that I can only say how incredibly awed I am with Dallas’ writing. As a quilter and almost 20 years of living with a gold miner, I tell ya, she’s really got that pegged.
Excellent, excellent story by a consistently good writer. If you love quilting and stories about life, you must read Prayers for Sale.
…more
www.goodreads.com
A few months ago someone asked for prayers for selling their home. After praying for the person another lady who was standing close by and heard the request said that she was a realtor and advised the individual to bury the statue of Saint Joseph in the front yard and that would cause the house to be sold quite fast.
Have you heard of this before?
Apparently, there are realtors who keep a stock of St. Joseph statues solely for the purpose of selling the house of their clients! They dig a hole in the yard of the house and bury the statue as some kind of good luck charm to sell the house.
Let me first say that this is not biblical. There is no scripture in the bible that supports burying anything to get God to do anything for you. If you have this scripture, please feel free to leave it in the comments below. This sounds more like witchcraft than it does something that is coming from the Almighty God! To be clear, the St. Joseph in reference is the husband of Mary. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about this click here
When you are trying to sell your house you must first ask yourself a few questions.
1. Why is my home for sale? Did God direct me to do this?
2. Is my home reasonably priced or am I being greedy?
3. Is my house properly staged and does it look presentable so that someone would want to buy it?
4. Do I have a good realtor? The truth is sometimes it’s just best to stay away from family members or someone who just got their license and wants to practice on you!
You see, if God wants you to sell that house and move then you will sell the house really fast. You’re not going to need to worry about the economy because God is bigger than that! He can sell your house when no one else’s house is selling. So there is absolutely no need for you to have any fear that it will not sell.
(2 Timothy 1:7) “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
You also can’t be too greedy expecting the buyer of your home to pay more than what is a reasonable asking price. You need to do your home work and know what the comps are in your area. What is the home worth?
(Leviticus 25:14) “‘If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other.”
Yes! We all want the wonderful testimony of how God blessed us in the sale of our home and we made so much money doing it BUT this should never be at the expense of taking advantage of someone else. God is watching and this will not be pleasing to Him. The money you made from being dishonest in that deal will be taken from you in so many other ways. It’s just not worth it. Be honest.
You want to make sure that your house is staged properly for a sale. Bottom line, clean your house! This is a simple thing but the truth is that most people neglect to consider that just by clearing away clutter and organizing their home, the sale can be quite quick. If you have animals try to make sure your house doesn’t smell like the animal. If you’re so accustomed to this, then ask a friend to tell you honestly how your house looks and smells. Invest in some plugins or something to clean the air and make your home pleasant. It’s these little things that can make a big difference especially if you don’t have the money to paint or do other major repairs.
Do some research online about staging your home for sale and make sure to do all that you can to be ready for your buyer.
Find a realtor that has experience selling your type of house. The price range, the area and has a track record for selling homes. It seems that everybody these days has a real estate license. This doesn’t mean that you should make yourself the guinea pig! Just because your family member has a real estate license doesn’t mean they should be selling your home. If they are good at what they do, that’s fine. Or if God told you to give them the listing. You need to pray about this as well. Use wisdom.
Please keep this very important point in mind, you are only selling your house to one person. All you need is just one person. You don’t have to worry about ratios of how many people need to look at your house before it is sold. You just need one. God can provide that one person for you with the first person that walks through the door.
So here are the prayers that you will need to get your house sold.
Praying to find a realtor
Heavenly Father, in obedience to you I am ready to sell my house. Thank you for leading me to this point. Guide me to finding the right realtor for this decision. Direct my steps to the real estate agent that you wish to bless with my listing. I pray that you will continue to build them up in wisdom, understanding and knowledge to list my house, give me good directions and finding the right buyer, in your name Jesus I pray, Amen!
Now it’s time to pray for your buyer
Prayer for the buyer of my house
Lord God, I pray for the buyer that you have for my house. Wherever they are right now Lord please begin to remove every obstacle that would prevent them from seeing my home. Guide them here. Give them the desire to want to live in my area. Provide the financing they need to qualify to purchase this home at my asking price. Get them pre approved and ready to close very quickly. Bless them financially and prepare their hearts to care for this home as much as I cared for it. In Jesus Name, Amen.
And, here is the final prayer which is one for you to sell your home
Prayer to Sell my home
Father God, thank you for blessing me with this home. Thank you for the enjoyment that I received from it for the years that I have lived here. Show me what I need to do to prepare it for sale. I pray that my house will sell very fast. I will not have any fear in my heart because I know that you have the right buyer lined up to purchase it. I pray that you will grant me grace to be honest and not greedy in what I am asking. I know that I only need one buyer and I ask that you will send them quickly. I promise to tithe on the increase that you will bring from this sale and to honor you in this business dealings. I also pray for the new place where you will be taking me. That you will have it prepared for me that i will find much joy and peace in that new home, in Jesus Name, Amen.
We know that God will do an amazing thing in selling your home fast. Remember, you don’t need any st. Joseph statues to sell your house you just need to pray, believe God and know that He will grant you the desires of your heart.
Here are some more prayers and bible verses for you:
Prayer of Faith
Prayer for Wisdom
Proverbs 23: 17-19 The Prayer of Expectation
Joshua 1:8 – Prayer For Success and Prosperity
www.missionariesofprayer.org
