The Persistent Road - A Review

The Persistent Road

by

Tim Bishop

A Review

Doug Zimmer wasn’t mad; he was furious. He had just unjustly lost his job “with cause” and his wife, Ruth, had died after a short fight with cancer. All of this just before Christmas. The last thing his wife had asked for was that he take a trip - seven stops she had laid out, an eighth stop was yet to be determined.

He was traveling north along the coast of California along state highway 1 and then east toward Chicago. God was not going to make it an easy trip. Of course it was not all God’s fault. Doug’s decision to make the trip on a new recumbent bicycle was part of the problem. But God was also putting people who would challenge his faith (or rather his lack of faith) across his path adding to the challenge. Ruth had plenty of faith, but Doug had never understood and, now with the loss of his job and his wife, faith made even less sense. During the journey he hears one of the worst presentations of the Gospel ever given (Chapter 15) and one of the best (Chapter16). To this reader the contrast was meaningful, but to Doug it was less so. 

The author does a great job describing the setting as Doug travels up the coast and then East across the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. This part of the book would make a great movie with all the color and sights described along the way. Doug would have decisions to make - hard decisions.

This book is only the first of a series describing Doug’s journey - both on his bike and in life. I will look forward to more stories to follow. The book was a bit of a slow starter. With this minor distraction this reader gives the book a reluctant four-stars. Here’s looking forward to learning more of Doug’s life.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.