Virgil T. Osgood has lived in Eden Hill all his life. His
family goes way back in this part of Kentucky. He married
his grade school sweetheart, Mavine, after he returned from
WW II and helped his dad build the service station that
Virgil now owns and operates. Life is good. Or at
least Virgil thinks he's doing just fine.
Cornelius and JoAnn Alexander are new in town. Neil
purchases the land across the street from Virgil's station
and plans to build a Zipco Super Service Station on it.
Neil is fresh out of Business College and he's read the
entire Zipco manual. His Zipco will offer premium gas along
with a lot of other extras that Virgil's station doesn't
offer. Virgil's a little worried, but his wife is even more
worried. With pressure from home about this new station,
and also regarding their marriage, Virgil isn't at all sure
what he should do about either.
Bill Higgs takes us back to a time when life was so much
simpler. EDEN HILL is a charming novel set in 1962 in a
small Kentucky town. It's a nostalgic trip down memory lane
if you grew up in the 1950s and 1960s. While Virgil and
Cornelius are the main characters, there are many other
supporting characters, all of which are well-developed and
really grow on you throughout the story. Mr. Higgs explores
many topics that were apropos for the times and is a real
brand-name dropper. Did you use Lux Liquid dish detergent,
have Tang for breakfast or drive a Nash Rambler? Most of
these brand names have become extinct, but the
inspirational message to love your neighbor is still the
same. Interspersed with some great humor, Mr. Higgs shows
us how to smooth the ruffled edges and bandage our hurt
feelings. We all need a heavy dose of God's grace, and we
need to give grace to others. I'd love to see a sequel to
this story, and Mr. Higgs did leave an opening for one at
the end. Please!
Nothing seems to change in Eden Hill, Kentucky, and that’s
just fine with Virgil T. Osgood. He’s been content to raise
his family and run the only service station in town. But
when a new station is set to open right across the road from
Virgil’s pumps, he suddenly faces obstacles in his career,
his marriage, and his self-worth that he’s never even
dreamed of.
Cornelius Alexander wants his new Zipco station to succeed
and help establish a strong foundation for his growing
family. As long as he follows the Zipco guide, he’s sure to
be a success—and prove his father wrong.
Reverend Caudill wants to be a conduit for grace in his
town, but that grace is challenged by the changes sweeping
through in the early 1960s. For the sake of this small town,
Virgil and Cornelius must learn to get along, but how do you
love your neighbor when his very presence threatens to upend
everything you hold dear?