{"product_id":"the-travels-of-increase-joseph-the-gospel-according-to-the-land-paperback","title":"The Travels of Increase Joseph: The Gospel According to the Land - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJerry Apps\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlum Falls, New York, 1840s: Dismissed from Harvard Divinity School for his progressive beliefs, Increase Joseph Link returns home disillusioned and resigned to a life of farming--until a lightning strike and a mysterious voice urge him to \"rise and speak.\" Heeding the call, Increase becomes an impassioned preacher, championing causes far ahead of his time: environmental stewardship, the abolition of slavery, and an end to war. His message draws a devoted group of followers who call themselves the Standalone Fellowship. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLink Lake, Wisconsin, 1852: Seeking fertile ground for both farming and faith, Increase leads his fellowship west to the Wisconsin wilderness, where they settle near a pristine lake he named in his honor. With soaring oratory and a sense of divine mission, Increase inspires his community with a simple yet urgent message: \u003cem\u003e\"Unless we take care of the land, we shall all perish.\"\u003c\/em\u003e To support the fellowship, he bottles and sells his own miracle tonic--for just fifty cents a bottle. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInspired by true events from 19th-century New York and Wisconsin, \u003cem\u003eThe Travels of Increase Joseph\u003c\/em\u003e is the first novel in Jerry Apps's acclaimed Ames County series. Spanning generations and steeped in rich rural history, the series also includes In a \u003cem\u003ePickle, Blue Shadows Farm, \u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCranberry Red\u003c\/em\u003e. Together, they reflect Apps's deep roots in the land and his lifelong advocacy for rural communities and environmental care. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eJerry Apps was born and raised on a farm in central Wisconsin. Upon graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and spending time in the U.S. Army, Apps worked as a county extension agent in Green Lake and Brown County Wisconsin. He then worked as a staff development specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Extension. He is Professor Emeritus of the University Wisconsin-Madison and the author of several fiction and non-fiction books about agriculture and rural life in the Upper Midwest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 214\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.7 x 8.9 x 5.9 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 29, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47497949937885,"sku":"9781967311781","price":21.54,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/xbOw1mTwmL9781967311781.webp?v=1771989590","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/the-travels-of-increase-joseph-the-gospel-according-to-the-land-paperback","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}