A quintessential American heroine, Eliza Birdwell is a wonderful blend of would-be austerity, practicality, and gentle humor when it comes to keepi...
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reviews
Nov 12, 2010
Kathleen
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I loved this book! It was one that I recall bits of, long ago when my older sister was reading it and wanted to share what she'd enjoyed, but I didn't read it for myself until I was on vacation recently, and wanted something light but enlightening. It may seem a bit old fashioned in today's society, but one of the reasons I read it was to get a glimpse of 19th century Quaker farming family, after finding out that I had a little Quaker stock in my ancestry. The characters, based on the Jessamy
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Feb 21, 2008
Esther
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A light and funny story about family life. The main characters are based on the author's family growing up in the early 1900's as Quakers.
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Aug 08, 2011
Ada
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I enjoyed the movie a lot, so thought I would truly delight in reading about it--especially since we had just visited the Civil War area sites. However, it was a little bit disappointing to me. The story was supposedly covering the family of Quakers during the Civil War time period; but the book only had a chapter about that situation. It was more about the thoughts and feelings of Jess who is married to a Quaker preacher. Perhaps the writing style was a little foreign to me and I couldn't q
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Jun 22, 2010
Mary
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I wish the cover of the copy I read had looked like this, instead of a lame picture from the movie they made. Anyway, I don't give out five stars very easily anymore, but Jessamyn West fully earned it with this one. You know how some authors have that knack of beautifully describing something perfectly normal or banal in a way that makes you completely identify with their words and view that thing in a new light? She does that, time and again. Her humor is impeccable, too. The story is abou
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Oct 28, 2008
Jenny
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My boyfriend's father lent me this book because it had a woman Quaker preacher in it. He thought I'd be interested in it, since I am trying to be a Presbyterian pastor.
I lost the book with about 10 pages left to read for over a month...so details aren't quite clear anymore. Initially, I thought the book could not be improved upon in the last 10 pages, but they were actually quite sweet and I do think that the final paragraph or two is perhaps the key to understanding the book.
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I lost the book with about 10 pages left to read for over a month...so details aren't quite clear anymore. Initially, I thought the book could not be improved upon in the last 10 pages, but they were actually quite sweet and I do think that the final paragraph or two is perhaps the key to understanding the book.
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Sep 22, 2010
Maria
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Set in Jennings County, Indiana this gentle book follows the life of a Quaker family in the late nineteenth century through a series of stories. Each chapter is a glimpse into a slower life style, filled with the wonder and awe of the natural world.
Why I picked this up: We are going to use this book for our Community Read next year. I needed to read it in order to get ideas for programs and discussions.
Why I finished it: This is a very different glimpse of the community More...
Why I picked this up: We are going to use this book for our Community Read next year. I needed to read it in order to get ideas for programs and discussions.
Why I finished it: This is a very different glimpse of the community More...
Aug 05, 2008
Douglas
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It is my sincere hope that someday soon the Library of America will produce a volume of the Collected Works of Jessamymn West. Until then, readers will have to make do with paperback editions or funky used ones. It would be a shame to let her portrayals of the American spirit disappear from view. This book, along with the hard-to-find "Except For Me and Thee," offers up her paean for her own Quaker ancestory in a series of short stories that chronicle the Jess Birdwell family. Jess, an
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Mar 17, 2008
Jennifer
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This book is loveliness itself. It's surely Jessamyn West's masterpiece. The Quaker family faces real world challenges and meets them with humor and courage, everything from whether or not to have a piano in their Quaker home to the danger of harboring refugees from the South in the Civil War to allowing one of their sons to leave to fight for the North.
It's at once touching and light-hearted. I love the people in The Friendly Persuasion and would like to meet them and have them giv More...
It's at once touching and light-hearted. I love the people in The Friendly Persuasion and would like to meet them and have them giv More...
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Feb 19, 2009
Heather
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I read this because I watched the film of the same name, never having encountered Jessamyn West before. She writes with enormous warmth and human insight, and with an ever-present sense of humour. These stories are so vivid and real, and I was sorry to reach the end of the book - and then delighted when I realised there was another volume of stories about the same family!
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Mar 07, 2009
Stephanie
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This is a really charming, comforting sort of read, which I enjoyed more than the rating probably indicates. It was just what I needed at the time, when it seems that everything I pick up is a real downer. It also made me want to go back and watch the movie, which I watched on Turner classics as a kid (though this is more a series of short stories and the movie seems to have been primarily taken from one, if memory serves at all).
Sep 11, 2011
Nancy
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This was a series of short stories chronicling the lives of Jess and Eliza Birdwell and their children during pre- and post-Civil War times. Some of the stories are full of love and laughter; some are sad; some are somewhere in-between (just like life). Some of the stories were more enjoyable than others..."The Vase" in particular should be read by everyone--the description between the inner lives of men and women is very illuminating.
Jul 22, 2011
Harry
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This is a gentle tale of gentle people. A series of vignettes following the Quaker Birdwell family from about mid-19th century to about the first of the 20th. It is by turns touching, funny and dramatic.
Jul 21, 2011
Leanne
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Book club book - compilation of short stories about a Quaker family. The language just about drove me crazy. Really enjoyed the organ and goose stories but couldn't finish the book to be honest.
Jul 26, 2011
Rick
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This is a delightful folksy book about what it means to be a family. especially a Quaker family in the 1800s. Values are tested as they face challenges of hardship and even war. Simple living can get a bit complicated.
May 01, 2011
Verity
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Great book--the author painted wonderful pictures with her words! I felt like I was friends with all the characters in the book. Another winner suggestion from my friend Clydie
Apr 06, 2009
Another GREAT movie! I remember being 10 or 12 years old and being allowed to "stay up late" with my mom to watch this on TV. I'll bet the book is just as good.
Dec 27, 2010
Story of a devout Quaker family in Indiana before the Civil War. Pervading sense of joy and playfulness. Rec. in Honey
Jun 17, 2010
Sonya
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Interesting look about the Quaker way of life, I love the kindness/softness in their speech, to each other.
Aug 04, 2009
Lynn
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They made this one into a lovely movie, too. I always liked her writing -- lovely, yet easy to read.
Jun 21, 2009
Sasha
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wonderful book, beautiful without being affected, sweet without being sacharine, elegantly written.
Dec 01, 2009
This was one of the most beautiful books I've read in my entire life. Ms. West's prose is amazing.
Mar 06, 2009
Heather
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A Cute read. Fast read. A little sad at the end. Interesting look at Quaker life.
Jul 10, 2011
Mindy
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This story follows the life of a Quaker family, the Birdwells. I found her writing very descriptive(sometimes too descriptive for my taste,but still enjoyable). Each chapter is it's own story about the family through the years,some funny and some more serious. Her insight into human nature was thought provoking.
Mar 10, 2009
I saw the movie as a child and loved it. The book should be even better.
Jul 02, 2008
Jennifer
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This is an amazing collection of stories about the Birdwells, a family of Quakers during the Civil War. The stories were written during WWII, and they start out light-hearted and funny, but get progressively sadder. What I liked best was that West wrote the different stories from the points-of-view of different family members. And whether she was writing from the father's POV or the teenage daughter's, she did it so well!
Also, this is one of those rare occasions where the movie is just More...
Also, this is one of those rare occasions where the movie is just More...
Aug 22, 2008
Jenny
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A very gentle, lovely book. I would have given it 5 stars, but I wish it would have had a little more plot. I felt like each chapter was a beautifully written vignette, but not tied together as a whole story. Several times, especially at the beginning, I was lost as to how old the characters were or how much time had passed. Characters were deveoped in one chapter and then not dealt with again, or only mentioned briefly. But the imagery and writing was beautiful and definitely worth reading.
May 15, 2008
Corky
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Read this book for a book discussion. It was written in langauage representative of the 1860's. The book was written in 1943 - if memory serves. I found it to be very disjointed and at times, made no sense. Turns out the "book" was written as short articles for Harper's Bazaar and put in novel form later. good exposure to something different but.....
The story is about a Quaker family and their faith plays a big role in how they react to the times.
The story is about a Quaker family and their faith plays a big role in how they react to the times.
Apr 02, 2008
Amanda
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I liked this book, but found it was very</> slow. In fact, I almost decided to take it back to the library before I finished--but I had to find out what happened to the characters, so I renewed it. It took me a while to get through it, but overall, I enjoyed this book.
