The View from Delphi

I am an historian of the South, and don't often read novels. But when I sat down with Jonathan Odell's story about Civil Rights Era Mississippi, I was transported back to a very real, rather than fictional, period of our past. In short, Odell writes the kind of fiction that makes history come alive. He is a master of dialogue, revealing a keen understanding of human character in its various styles of expression. Can a white southern male write a believable story about white and black women communicating across the divide of racial segregation and violence in the Jim Crow South? Odell does just that, with an achingly sensitive portrayal of Johnny, the white son of Hazel, to help readers make the journey with them. Hard to believe this is Odell's first novel!

The View from Delphi has become one of my favorite books. It's a beautiful story of two women in Mississippi in the 1950's who start off in conflict because of their relationship (one is a black maid and the other is the white employer's wife) but end up as real friends. It is funny, serious, sad, and downright inspirational. As a native Mississippian, I appreciated the honesty of Odell's story and the artful way he developed the characters, both white and black, in an even-handed manner. I truly think Odell is destined to be a great southern writer.

A member of my book club chose this book and I took it with me on vacation. I was thinking I was going to "struggle" through it since it wasn't the typical quick-light vacation read! WOW! WOW! WOW!! I couldn't put this book down. Every night, while cruising the Mediterranean I couldn't wait to read this book!! It is a true reflection of the attitudes of the south, and conveys the subtle dynamics between people. I was transported from my cruise to the south!! This book is one of our all-time favorites...we have also loved reading Barbara Kingsolver- The Poisinwood Bible, The Red Tent, The Lovely Bones, Anna Karinana, White Oleander, Memoirs of a Geisha, etc. The View From Delphi stands up to all of these in a mesmorizing and memorable manner! ENJOY!!!

As I contemplate the dizzying pace at which most of us race through our everyday lives, I am grateful to Jon Odell for giving me pause to deeply breathe in the richness of this poetic and profoundly inspired novel. Jon Odell is simply a masterful story teller! He ranks among a dying breed of writers who are gifted and thoughtful enough to tell the stories of ordinary people in a way that intimately and vicariously takes us to where they are while introducing us to ourselves. Nowhere is this more needed than in human relationships across racial stratifications. I am so incredibly excited about this book because although set in pre-Civil rights Mississippi it is not just about the south. It poignantly tells the untold story of race in America through the intriguing lives and relationship of two complicated heroines, one white and one black, (As an African American this is refreshing to me because rarely have I read a book by a white author in which there is a black main character who is not being rescued by benevolent white characters). By honestly and vividly telling their stories-as well as a whole cast of provocative characters, Jon Odell has invited us all into a honest dialogue about our own race stories, our relationships across race, and ultimately our shared history and future as Americans. I guarantee you that, "The View From Delphi," will make you laugh, weep, and think deeply no matter what your race. Enjoy!!

I couldn't disagree more with the Publishers Weekly review. I found Odell's story of race, family and mid-century southern life engaging, fast-paced and moving. This is a remarkably literate first novel with an extraordinary sense of place, time and character. Dark humor permeates the story, and yet Odell never concedes to condescention or cynicism. His characters are archetypal without ever becoming stereotypical. Coming at a time when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Brown v Board of Ed, and when the federal government has agreed to re-open the murder case of Emmett Till, this novel has an immediacy and relevance to the present. If you're looking for a refreshing change from the Hollywood-Action-Movie-Styled blood-and-violence potboilers that fill bookstore stacks this time of year, this is the novel to read.