Prayers for Sale, by Sandra Dallas

Prayers for Sale, by Sandra Dallas, is set in Colorado in 1936, and is a story about an old woman named Hennie, who lives in a mining town in the Rocky Mountains.  Life isn't easy for the residents of Middle Swan, and when a new couple moves to town, Hennie does her best to acclimate Nit, the wife, to the harsh conditioins of life in the mountains.  Hennie is a smart, resiliant woman who has lived through a lot and has the stories to prove it.  While helping Nit get used to the town, Hennie tells many of her stories, and the two women develop a friendship which both women rely on.

This was one of the best books I have read in a long time.  The storytelling is fantastic.  The author really throws you into the story, and uses the dialect of the time while still being easy to read.  Just when you feel like the story might get monotonous, the author goes into another of Hennie's stories, and you get drawn in again.  The story is woven together beautifully, and it paints a picture of how people lived in the 1930's, especially the harsh conditions of the time and location.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good story, and I would definitely read another of Dallas' books.