Ocean State Libraries

Elmer Gantry is a satirical novel that presents aspects of the religious activity of America in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it.

When hired by a beautiful and enigmatic woman to find her missing younger sister, private investigator Roland Ford immediately senses that the case is not what it seems. He is soon swept up in a web of lies and secrets as he searches for the teenager, and even his new client cannot be trusted. His investigation leads him to a secretive charter school, skinhead thugs, a cadre of American Nazis hidden in a desert compound, an arch-conservative celebrity...

Preacher is a man of his generation -- and of our times. Even while he is dealing in drugs to keep his little community alive, his faith in himself and in God is always a visible presence. That faith is also a tangible asset when he is chosen by a Texas billionaire to spearhead a new campaign of religious revivalism that uses money, television and the best media and financial expertise money can buy to sell the word of God -- and change the very nature...

"An incredibly thoughtful, disarmingly funny, and intensely vulnerable glimpse into the life and ministry of a woman familiar to many but known by few. All My Knotted-Up Life is a beautifully crafted portrait of resilience and survival, a poignant reminder of God's enduring faithfulness, and proof positive that if we ever truly took the time to hear people's full stories...we'd all walk around slack-jawed"--

The story of Nathanael Vickery who from a rough beginning believes himself to be one of God's chosen, a belief he manifests in wide ambition and religious hysteria, only to come to a humble conclusion informed by his intimate relationship with God.

"1931. Gracelynn Doherty lives peacefully on Tin Mountain, helping her adoptive granny work her cures. Despite whispers that the women are witches, the superstitious locals still seek them out, whether to remedy arthritis or a broken heart. But when evangelist Josiah Bellflower comes to town promising miracle healing, full bellies, and prosperity, his revivals soon hold Tin Mountain in thrall--and Granny in abject fear. Granny recognizes Josiah. Fifty...

A look at the spiritual, cultural, and historical impact of the life and ministry of Billy Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. How much can one man do to influence the world for Christ? How do we begin to measure the worth of his work? In this documentary, evangelism scholar Lewis Drummond examines the Billy Graham ministry phenomenon of the last half of the 20th Century-spiritually, culturally, and historically. As a personal friend...

"In the 1970s and '80s, Tammy Faye and her husband, Jim Bakker, rose from humble beginnings to create the world's largest religious broadcasting network and theme park, and were revered for their message of love, acceptance, and prosperity. Tammy Faye was legendary for her indelible eyelashes, her idiosyncratic singing, and her eagerness to embrace people from all walks of life. However, it wasn't long before financial improprieties, scheming rivals,...

The confession of a preacher's daughter. Turned off religion early in life, Florida Grace Shepherd marries at the first opportunity, only to "backslide" into adultery. By the time she is 33, she feels an old bag. But one day Grace discovers she has her father's gift for giving meaning to people's lives and she returns to religion, picking up where her father left off. By the author of The Devil's Dream.