Bear me safely over Book

Set in urban and rural Georgia, Joseph's remarkably assured debut explores the interior lives of two families soon to be linked by marriage. Bear Me Safely Over tackles dark themes -- a young daughter dying of AIDS, the menace of homophobia, the splintering of families, the discordant voice of religious fundamentalism -- but at its core it is a hopeful portrait of the different and often elusive faces of salvation. Summoning a diverse and provocative chorus of voices, Joseph fashions a subtle and affecting exploration of the sacrifices we must make to be our brothers' keepers, and the consequences of refusing to do so. Bear Me Safely Over offers up a kaleidoscopic vision of the common secrets and sorrows at the heart of a community that will have readers looking at all relationships with new eyes.