Review: “Schifflebein’s Folly”

Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope and pray for a happy, healthy year for all.

I’ll keep this short since it is New Year’s Day, not that I am insinuating that any of you might have over-indulged last night(!), but we may have stayed up late, or are having a dinner today or some other good activities.

I know this is generally a ‘promo or free’ week, but since I almost always do interviews on the ‘interview or review’ weeks, I thought that I would take this opportunity to introduce you to a book that captured my heart and led me to inviting my next guest to join us here.

I honestly do not remember how Iris Chacon’s “Schifflebein’s Folly” got into my Kindle, but I am so glad that it did! I was perusing my Kindle looking for something different and a new-to-me author. I was immediately captivated by this story and writing-style; both are unique and wonderful.

Lloyd Schifflebein is single designer/carpenter who has a single-mindedly plan to become a foster parent to special-needs kids, no matter how impossible people tell him that it will be. He set up his work, his home and every part of his life with this simple, (to him), goal in mind. He applied so many times and called so often to the social services office that no one wants to take his calls. He is such a nice man, and obviously so sincere, that no one wants to be rude to him, but the situation is just not to be, as far as they are concerned. As far as he is concerned, he knows it will be.

Introduced to us at the beginning of the book, (but unknown to Schifflebein), is an ancient pottery shop where a fairly ancient “little man” with a Cockney accent picks up a special teapot from a very ancient “man” to deliver to Schifflebein.

The teapot brews tea that is most influential on people…and it speaks to some. It’s a bit of a smart-aleck, yet it always tells the truth.

Many things also just ‘happen’ to fall into place when the little Cockney man is around. Just when and where he pops up, I will not tell you.

I hesitate to give away any more of the story, except to say that I found it to be one of the most charming stories, one of the most humorous, well-written stories that I have ever read. This should not be an after-thought, but it is also one that is faith-filled, yet  done so subtlety, that you get touched to the heart and have your soul uplifted without ever seeing it coming.

Iris Chacon will be here in two weeks to discuss Schifflebein and her other works.  I hope that you join us then.

And read Schifflebein’s Folly.

You will be glad that you did.