Tula Springs Reeks

The fourth--and best--of James Wilcox's acclaimed Tula Springs novels featuring the tragicomic adventures of a Manhattanite transplanted in the South. "... an exceedingly well-crafted tale".--Time.

Exploring the complexities of faith and community, this acclaimed work delves into the lives of modern Baptists, highlighting their struggles and triumphs within a changing cultural landscape. The narrative weaves personal stories with broader themes of belief, identity, and social justice, offering a profound reflection on the evolution of Baptist traditions. With its insightful analysis and engaging prose, the book invites readers to reconsider the role of religion in contemporary society.

Ethyl Mae Coco's rambling Victorian home on North Gladiola -- the Main Street of Tula Springs, Louisiana -- is the only residence left at the business end of town, but it's a hotbed for chaotic comedy. Mrs. Coco, aged fifty-seven and feeling somewhat left behind herself, directs her considerable energy into keeping those around her in line -- her remote, obsessively bargain-hunting husband; members of the Pro Arts Quartet chamber music group, which Ethyl Mae aspires to turn into an accomplished cultural jewel; her six unruly grown children, none of whom keeps the Catholic faith to their staunch convert mother's satisfaction; and the other assorted, eccentric, and endearing people of Tula Springs. Nothing is simple -- or quite as gossip portrays it -- in Tula Springs, but after all upheavals and sunders pass, this wired family and community remain strongly connected.