Praise for Life After Life

We are excited to recommend Jill McCorkle's Life After Life as our summer all-parish read. Check out these glowing words from her peers:

"I have always loved Jill McCorkle’s books: her characters are such characters! But in Life After Life, she has outdone herself . . . There’s talk about magic in this wonderful novel, and Jill McCorkle displays her own sleight of hand in delivering a powerful message in such a subtle and beautiful way." —Elizabeth Berg, author of The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted and Once Upon a Time, There Was You




"With Life After Life, Jill McCorkle knocks it out of the park and into the cosmos. Each character holds unique surprises that unveil the intricate magic of this brilliant novel." —Beth Henley, Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and screenwriter (Crimes of the Heart)

"Jill is going to break your heart, but along the way make you glad you went with her. She has written a book that will haunt me for a long time—in the best way." —Dorothy Allison, author of Cavedweller and Bastard Out of Carolina

Reviews of Life After Life

Click below to read novelist Roy Hoffman's review of Life After Life in the New York Times:

Late Bloomers: Life After Life by Jill McCorkle



Also, check out book critic Heller McAlpin's glowing assessment on NPR Books:

Learning 'Life' Lessons with McCorkle's Seniors

Jill McCorkle to Visit St. Stephen's

Hot on the heels of our announcement that her book, Life After Life, has been chosen for the St. Stephen's all-parish summer read, we are happy to announce that Jill McCorkle is coming to St. Stephen's!



Jill will be our guest for the Rector's Forum on Sunday, September 22nd. After a summer of both getting to know and falling in love with her characters, we will have a chance to hear her discuss the book in person. Mark your calendars!

A Sneak Peek at Summer

It is becoming a summer tradition at St. Stephen's to choose a book that all of us-- clergy, staff, and congregation-- can read together, wherever the heat and haze find us. We are excited to announce this year's selection:



Life After Life by Jill McCorkle is filled with a sense of wonder at our capacity for self-discovery at any age. The residents, staff, and neighbors of the Pine Haven retirement community (from 12-year-old Abby to 85-year-old Sadie) share life's profound discoveries and are some of the most true-to-life characters that you'll ever likely to meet in fiction. Delievered with her trademark wit, McCorkle's constantly surprising novel illuminates the possibilities of second chances, hope, and the rediscovery of life even in its twilight.

Stop by the Bookshop @ St. Stephen's to pick up your copy to take to the beach, river, or back porch swing!

A Homemade Year

One of our newest and most favorite offerings in The Bookshop:




Beautifully written and photographed, Jerusalem Greer has created a collection of crafts, recipes, and meditations centered around the liturgical year. With chapters for Summer, Fall, Spring, and Autumn, there is something here for both families and individuals interested in a broader, creative observance of Advent, Lent, Pentecost, and other seasons and feast days.

And...drumroll, please...it is fully endorsed by none other than Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman!

Pick up a copy today!