Episode #148: The Dirty Parts of the Bible with Sam Torode

My guest this week on the Voices In My Head Podcast is Sam Torode. Sam is a writer, a visual artist, and a singer living in in Nashville, Tennessee. On his Father's side of the family, Sam is related to Henry David Thoreau and on his mother's side are Texas farmers, preachers, outlaws, banjo players, and Cherokee Indians. His novel "The Dirty Parts of the Bible," reflects both sides, combining religious/philosophical exploration with an epic journey to Texas to reclaim his defrocked minister father's fortune. Sam's writing has been compared to Mark Twain, Sue Monk Kidd, and Flannery O'Connor Publisher's Weekly gave this really glowing review to "Dirty Parts of the Bible"While the title suggests a raunchy read, this rich and soulful novel is actually a rather well-done coming-of-age story steeped in wanderlust and whimsy that at times recalls The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and at others a tamer On the Road. The story begins in 1936 as 19-year-old Tobias is thumbing his way from Remus, Mich., to his uncle's farm in Glen Rose, Tex., to find a hidden bag of money, after his father, a Baptist pastor, drunkenly slams his car into the church and is removed from the parsonage. The author does an excellent job in making well-charted territory (riding the rails; scavenged campfire meals under the stars) seem vibrant and new. Snippets of scripture, Southern spirituals, and folk ballads lend context and flavor to the text. Most impressive are the jangly dialogue and the characters' distinctive voices, which are authentic and earthy but not remotely hoary. When Tobias finally arrives at his uncle's, the surprises that await him are more than enough to keep his—and readers'—interests piqued." DISCLAIMER: While this is not a dirty podcast, the topic of this week's conversation may not be appropriate for younger ears as we do acknowledge that there is such a thing as sex and that teenage boys think about it. Use your discretion.