Book 10: Alyene Porter: Papa Was A Preacher

I have finished my last book Honkytonk Man, and a few days later Papa Was A Preacher arrived. See also announcement entry book 7 (info 61) and film entry.

Novel was published 1944 and I think set in the 1920s (film is set in the 1950s).
Book (paperback) has 191 pages and some simple drawings. Only 1 drawing with a boy in bibs. I don't like the drawings by Janet Smalley but I guessed so, and better than no pics.

I read the first chapter and some later pages and I think the book is a bit different than the movie. But perhaps also not bad. The kids made pranks and the life of that time of a Christian family with 8 kids is good portrayed.
Some scenes I have already found are swimming nude (page 107), underwear and winter clothing/stocking scenes, corncropping scene (but not yet the scene pictured at my film entry). Also the dad/preacher talked about tomboyish behavior as Alyene wants a bike. There are some additional scenes like rodeo and a Christmas school play which I don't remember in the film. But I will read this book now complete (and slowly). Might take at least 2-3 weeks or more. (Depends if it is interesting, but I usually read in the evenings only).

September 12th. Now I have finally finished this book. I don't like it. No explicit bib scenes and nothing more of interest. I can't even see a real coherent plot. Might be a famous Methodist book, but film is very loosely based upon and I think much better.