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The Believers
In her historical novels about Kentucky, Janice Holt Giles has become known for the integrity with which she handles her material and for the realism with which she writes. In The Believers, first published in 1957, she continues her series about the settling of Kentucky with a moving story of love and marriage set in a Shaker community.
Rebecca Fowler is only seventeen whe...more
Rebecca Fowler is only seventeen whe...more
Paperback, 214 pages
Published
September 2nd 1989
by University Press of Kentucky
(first published 1957)
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Feb 26, 2013
Jack Cheng
added it
I really enjoyed this book on two levels: the historical setting around the Great Awakening of the early 19th century and the 1950s when Holt Giles wrote this book.
The characters and plot are fine -- Rebecca marries Richard, they get caught up in the Evangelical movement and eventually join a Shaker community. Rebecca joins for the love of her husband, but as he becomes more rigid, she becomes more disillusioned with a religion that segregates the sexes and practices celibacy, and generally repr...more
The characters and plot are fine -- Rebecca marries Richard, they get caught up in the Evangelical movement and eventually join a Shaker community. Rebecca joins for the love of her husband, but as he becomes more rigid, she becomes more disillusioned with a religion that segregates the sexes and practices celibacy, and generally repr...more
This is an amazing look at the beginnings of the Shaker movement in Kentucky. During the time of the Great Awakening in the country, different preachers would travel around and share the Gospel with people; the Shakers were part of this movement.
Until I read this book, I always had a rather idealized picture of the Shakers. I grew up near a Shakertown that I have visited often. I admired their simplicity and their commitment to God.
That said, after I read this book, I began to see them as nothin...more
Until I read this book, I always had a rather idealized picture of the Shakers. I grew up near a Shakertown that I have visited often. I admired their simplicity and their commitment to God.
That said, after I read this book, I began to see them as nothin...more
I thought this book was very intriguing. I currently live in the Logan County where the book is set, and have driven past the South Union site frequently. I had a basic understanding of the Shaker groups, but it was great to get such an in depth feel for their way of life. And not only is this a great historical piece, it's a great story in and of itself. I always find stories of a woman's struggles in her community to be fascinating and inspiring. Her husband was maddening, and, to me, the very...more
"The Believers" takes us inside one of the odder religious sects to exist in this country in the 19th century. Rebecca Fowler is a gentle girl who wants only to marry her childhood sweetheart Richard and raise a family - so she is stunned when her husband decides to join the Shakers, a religious sect believing in peace, chastity, communal living, and the total dissolution of family. Rebecca follows her husband into the Shaker community, hoping he will come to his senses, and forges friendships w...more
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Interesting book. I had little or no knowledge of the Shaker religious groups before this. It was very captivating. Heart breaking in some ways, infuriating in others. I enjoyed reading it, especially right after reading Hannah Fowler.
This is the story of Hannah Fowler's daughter, but the story lines are virtually unrelated. She mentions once or twice that her mom was a good woman, strong and loving, that she killed an Indian once, but other than that, the story is about Rebecca. It was eye-open...more
This is the story of Hannah Fowler's daughter, but the story lines are virtually unrelated. She mentions once or twice that her mom was a good woman, strong and loving, that she killed an Indian once, but other than that, the story is about Rebecca. It was eye-open...more
This book was published in 1957, when I'm guessing the subject matter must have been tantilizing (maybe it still is to some). For an historical novel, it is decently accurate in places - badly inaccurate in others. And, most of all, it is completely unkind to the sect of people who believe and live as Shakers. It portrays them as unkind and mean overall. There is occasional mention of a kind Shaker, but always backed up with that the unusual human being who would choose this lifestyle is rare an...more
This is a book about a Kentucky Shaker community in the early 1800's. Although it was written in 1957, both the writing style and content are amazingly up-to-date. It is a very readable book, written from the point of view of a fictitious wife whose husband becomes enamored with the Shakers after they pass through town. The reader finds herself cheering for the main character, hoping for her life to turn out well. This kept my interest until the last page, when I turned to the first and skimmed...more
Fascinating! I couldn't put this book down. The "Shakers" were a religious group began in the early 1800's. They were good people, but their way of life was all wrong. I absolutley loved this book! The story is told from voice of a young wife who's husband whisks-no forces her away into the Shaker life. Reading her story was so inspiring, to see her grow, find herself and her voice, and then stand up for what she feels was so inspiring. Its an old book, published in the 1950's, but a must read!
I loved this book. I finished Hannah Fowler and read this a few days later.
What fascinated me was the embracing of legalism by the Shakers. So many people were converted to a life of following man-made laws with NO bearing in scripture- laws based on one woman's visions. Trying to work their way to Heaven. It happens over and over in history, people being drawn into cults.
While recognizing that the history is fictionalized, it was still a very good look into the history of Kentucky and the Sha...more
What fascinated me was the embracing of legalism by the Shakers. So many people were converted to a life of following man-made laws with NO bearing in scripture- laws based on one woman's visions. Trying to work their way to Heaven. It happens over and over in history, people being drawn into cults.
While recognizing that the history is fictionalized, it was still a very good look into the history of Kentucky and the Sha...more
This book is fiction but based on fact. It took place in South Union, Kentucky where we had visited the summer I read this. I loved this book because I could just picture it all happening. We now have such a romantizied version of Shakers, Amish etc. but it was all such a difficult life. This book told of some Shaker's feelings, what it felt like to be seperated from her husband. She ended up leaving the village with the schoolteacher and had four sons.
Very interesting! This book will change your opinion about the Shakers, a religious sect that grew up in the 19th century but has basically disappeared (there is a very small group still in New York). One of their biggest communities is now a tourist attraction near Lexington, Kentucky. Their way of life seems benign, but this book shows a different perspective and the harm that could come about because of their beliefs.
Feb 16, 2010
AnnaMay
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to AnnaMay by:
Julie Garrett
This book was so enjoyable!
I was fascinated by the Shaker religious movement and the paralells I could draw between it and the LDS upstarts.
I questioned myself: 'How far would I go to follow what my 'soul' told me was right?' I was astounded at the lengths some of the settlers took to be a part of this 'new religion,' yet I was also really understanding; many of my ancestors took almost as drastic of measures to follow their 'new religeon.'
The difference between my ancestors' religious convicti...more
I was fascinated by the Shaker religious movement and the paralells I could draw between it and the LDS upstarts.
I questioned myself: 'How far would I go to follow what my 'soul' told me was right?' I was astounded at the lengths some of the settlers took to be a part of this 'new religion,' yet I was also really understanding; many of my ancestors took almost as drastic of measures to follow their 'new religeon.'
The difference between my ancestors' religious convicti...more
I thought the book was a love story which did not have a happy ending when the heroine,
Rebecca Fowler, lost her husband to the Shaker beliefs.
I lived near an abandoned Shaker Village in Ky. Now a tourist attraction, there is a sense of
serenity there; however, one wonders how happiness could be achieved without losing oneself.
Rebecca Fowler, lost her husband to the Shaker beliefs.
I lived near an abandoned Shaker Village in Ky. Now a tourist attraction, there is a sense of
serenity there; however, one wonders how happiness could be achieved without losing oneself.
Not my favorite Giles book but still I am glad I read it. Eye opening in regards to the Shaker religion. The saddest part to me was to see how adherence to the "rules" of the Shaker village destroyed so many families. The main character, a daughter of early Kentucky pioneers was very strong and kind. Of course Hannah Fowler is still my favorite of the Giles books.
I'll freely admit that before I read this book, what I knew about the Shakers was that they were a religious group who were celibate, and they made nice furniture. I wasn't super interested in learning more about them really, but I'd enjoyed Janice Holt Giles other books (The Kentuckians and Hannah Fowler) so much, I went ahead and picked this one up.
The two main characters are actually children of the main characters of the two other books, which made for a nice continuation of the story. But w...more
The two main characters are actually children of the main characters of the two other books, which made for a nice continuation of the story. But w...more
Loved this book! I haven't ever read any sort of historical novel on the shakers. I thought this book gave me a great perspective of what they were like. Definitely sad and frustrating at some parts, but I really enjoyed it! I would recommend it to anyone!
The sequel to Hannah Fowler, and a close look at the settling of Kentucky continues. The perspective is that of the pioneer women,and I loved this! This story of the rise and fall of the Shaker community is unbelievable (no play on words intended)!
One of my all time favorite books! Hard to quit reading this one. The writer wonderfully portrayed Shaker life and made it easy to see why the Shakers have all but died out. I rooted the whole way for Rebecca to free herself. Wonderful!
This is a very good piece of historical fiction. This was my grandmother's book and I first read it in middle school. I had never even heard of the Shakers before this book and I found the story to be fascinating and heartbreaking.
My mother first recommended this book to me in high school, and I've read it several times since then. Wonderful story of the Kentucky Shaker villages and the Second Great Awakening.
I really enjoyed this book and the integrity the main character had. Much of it was heartbreaking, but it was worth it in the end. One thing I kept thinking: my goodness, we are a bunch of spoiled brats today. I bet 95% of people living today would not survive if they were somehow transported back to the early 1800's.
My all time favorite book. A Shaker love story about the first divorce in Kentucky. You will be unable to out it down and parts you will not forget!!!!
Very interesting depiction of a Shaker village, the believers and the other
inhabitants of the village.
inhabitants of the village.
A fantastically written book of an insiders point of view of the Shaker religion and daily life! I struggled with different emotions, of frustration, sadness, and happiness; on behalf of the various characters involved. In my opinion, it is an engaging story; one I read again.
A gripping historical novel about the Shakers, a people I will never understand.
This was a very eye-opening book. I moved to Kentucky 5 years ago, have heard about the Shakers, and driven past the Shaker Village on ocassion. A friend recommended reading this book and then taking a tour of the Village...I'm looking forward to visiting it with a great deal more insight after reading this book. Not only did 'The Believers' open my eyes to the Shaker community, but it was also a very realistic story about the wonderful folks that live in this beautiful part of our country...thi...more
Tells of man's conversion to Quakers? how it affects his wife.
Rebecca Fowler Cooper and the Shaker religion.
A somewhat heartbreaking read.
One of my all time favorite books!
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