PASSION: Anathema

A great many readers of inspirational fiction have a passion for the novels of Colleen Coble, one of the most popular and prolific authors in the field today. A lifelong Hoosier, Coble still lives in her hometown of Wabash, Indiana. Her novel Anathema, which won the 2009 Best Books of Indiana award for fiction, is also set in Indiana, in Parke County.

 

Anathema is the story of a young Amish woman, Hannah Schwartz, whose life is changed by the brutal murder of her parents and her inability to forgive as required by her religious beliefs. Struggling with her own guilt and grief, she runs away with her lover instead, but her life soon unravels amid mysterious circumstances.

 

A passion for traditional crafts also features prominently in Anathema as Hannah writes a book about Amish quilts and how their patterns relate to the Amish lifestyle. For example: “The Amish Triangle Quilt is a symbol of all that matters to the Amish: God, family, and community.”

 

Meet Colleen Coble when she visits Ladoga, Indiana, as a presenter for the Novel Conversations Speakers Program on Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m., Ladoga-Clark Twp. Public Library.

 

Anathema is available through Indiana Humanities Novel Conversations lending library. Request a set (for free!) for your book club today.

In July and August, Indiana Humanities is exploring the topic of “passion,” as part of its Spirit of Competition theme.