Margins
The Dirty Parts of the Bible book cover
The Dirty Parts of the Bible
2007
First Published
3.60
Average Rating
278
Number of Pages

Watch the video trailer at DirtyPartsoftheBible.com The Dirty Parts of the Bible is a humorous novel set during the Great Depression—-a rollicking tale of love and liquor, preachers and prostitutes, trains and treasure, sure to appeal to fans of Water for Elephants, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Mark Twain, and Johnny Cash.... Semifinalist for the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award "While the title suggests a raunchy read, this rich and soulful novel is actually a rather well-done bildungsroman [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." — Publisher's Weekly (ABNA) "I absolutely loved The Dirty Parts of the Bible .... [It's] a grown-up Mark Twain-type adventure with lots of spirit and humor." —Reader Views "[It] has lots of laughs and a few tears, and characters that are pure joy." —Front Street Reviews "A fun read" —The Nashville Scene

Avg Rating
3.60
Number of Ratings
10,727
5 STARS
20%
4 STARS
35%
3 STARS
33%
2 STARS
9%
1 STARS
3%
goodreads

Author

Sam Torode
Sam Torode
Author · 9 books

Author of the bestselling humorous novel "The Dirty Parts of the Bible," as well as paraphrase editions of classic wisdom books from philosophers like Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Please visit my website, www.samtorode.

548 Market St PMB 65688, San Francisco California 94104-5401 USA
© 2026 Paratext Inc. All rights reserved