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A Stolen Life
In the late 1700s, young Jamesina is suddenly forced into a life of hardship after she is kidnapped by "spiriters," taken away from her family in Scotland, sent across the seas and sold into slavery to Shaws Plantation in Virginia.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
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276 people want to read
About the author
Jane Louise Curry
40 books30 followersJane Louise Curry was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, on September 24, 1932. She is the daughter of William Jack Curry Jr. and Helen Margaret Curry. Curry grew up in Pennsylvania (Kittanning and Johnstown), but upon her graduation from college she moved to Los Angeles, California, and London, England.
Curry attended the Pennsylvania State University in 1950, and she studied there until 1951 when she left for the Indiana State College (now known as Indiana University of Pennsylvania). In 1954, after graduation, Curry moved to California and worked as both an art teacher for the Los Angeles Public School District and a freelance artist. In 1957, Curry entered the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in order to study English literature, but in 1959 she left Los Angeles and became a teaching assistant at Stanford University. Curry was awarded the Fulbright grant in 1961 and the Stanford-Leverhulme fellowship in 1965, allowing her to pursue her graduate studies at the University of London. She earned her M.A. in 1962 and her Ph.D. in medieval English literature from Stanford University in 1969. From 1967-1968 and, again, from 1983-1984, Curry was an instructor of English literature at the college level. She became a lecturer in 1987. Besides her writings, Curry’s artworks are also considered among her achievements. She has had several paintings exhibited in London, and her works have even earned her a spot in the prestigious Royal Society of British Artists group exhibition. Among the many groups that Curry belongs to are the International Arthurian Society, the Authors Guild, the Children’s Literature Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers.
Curry illustrated and published her first book Down from the Lonely Mountain in 1965. This juvenile fiction based on Californian Native American folklore has paved the way for Curry’s expansive literary career. She has penned more than 30 novels, which are mostly based on child characters dealing with a wide variety of subjects. Many of Curry’s writings deal with folklore, such as the Native American folklore that she explores in her novels Turtle Island: Tales of Algonquian Nations and The Wonderful Sky Boat: And Other Native American Tales of the Southeast, and the retellings of famous European folk stories, such as Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Robin Hood in the Greenwood, and The Christmas Knight. Yet she also delves into the genres of fantasy, such as in her novels Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Time and Me, Myself, and I; historical fiction, such as in her novels What the Dickens and Stolen Life; and mystery, such as in her novels The Bassumtyte Treasure and Moon Window.
Curry has been honored with many awards throughout her writing career. In 1970, her novel The Daybreakers earned Curry the Honor Book award from the Book World Spring Children’s Book Festival and the Outstanding Book by a Southern California Author Award from the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People. The Mystery Writers of America honored Curry two years in a row by awarding her the Edgar Allan Poe Award, or the Edgar, for Poor Tom’s Ghost in 1978 and The Bassumtyte Treasure in 1979. Also in 1979, for her complete body of work at that time, the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People presented Curry with the Distingushed Contribution to the Field of Children’s Literature Award.
Curry resides in Palo Alto, California, and London, England.
Curry attended the Pennsylvania State University in 1950, and she studied there until 1951 when she left for the Indiana State College (now known as Indiana University of Pennsylvania). In 1954, after graduation, Curry moved to California and worked as both an art teacher for the Los Angeles Public School District and a freelance artist. In 1957, Curry entered the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in order to study English literature, but in 1959 she left Los Angeles and became a teaching assistant at Stanford University. Curry was awarded the Fulbright grant in 1961 and the Stanford-Leverhulme fellowship in 1965, allowing her to pursue her graduate studies at the University of London. She earned her M.A. in 1962 and her Ph.D. in medieval English literature from Stanford University in 1969. From 1967-1968 and, again, from 1983-1984, Curry was an instructor of English literature at the college level. She became a lecturer in 1987. Besides her writings, Curry’s artworks are also considered among her achievements. She has had several paintings exhibited in London, and her works have even earned her a spot in the prestigious Royal Society of British Artists group exhibition. Among the many groups that Curry belongs to are the International Arthurian Society, the Authors Guild, the Children’s Literature Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers.
Curry illustrated and published her first book Down from the Lonely Mountain in 1965. This juvenile fiction based on Californian Native American folklore has paved the way for Curry’s expansive literary career. She has penned more than 30 novels, which are mostly based on child characters dealing with a wide variety of subjects. Many of Curry’s writings deal with folklore, such as the Native American folklore that she explores in her novels Turtle Island: Tales of Algonquian Nations and The Wonderful Sky Boat: And Other Native American Tales of the Southeast, and the retellings of famous European folk stories, such as Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Robin Hood in the Greenwood, and The Christmas Knight. Yet she also delves into the genres of fantasy, such as in her novels Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Time and Me, Myself, and I; historical fiction, such as in her novels What the Dickens and Stolen Life; and mystery, such as in her novels The Bassumtyte Treasure and Moon Window.
Curry has been honored with many awards throughout her writing career. In 1970, her novel The Daybreakers earned Curry the Honor Book award from the Book World Spring Children’s Book Festival and the Outstanding Book by a Southern California Author Award from the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People. The Mystery Writers of America honored Curry two years in a row by awarding her the Edgar Allan Poe Award, or the Edgar, for Poor Tom’s Ghost in 1978 and The Bassumtyte Treasure in 1979. Also in 1979, for her complete body of work at that time, the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People presented Curry with the Distingushed Contribution to the Field of Children’s Literature Award.
Curry resides in Palo Alto, California, and London, England.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
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January 4, 2011I remember nothing. Except something about running in scotland, before that, kilts.
April 3, 2012
Young adult historical fiction... This book was a bit hard for me to get into but I am glad I kept reading. The story is of a girl who was "spirited" or kidnapped from her home in Scottland and sold in to captivity in the Virginia colony. Once on a tabbacco plantation this young Jamesina is exposed to the world of slavery and as being treated as less than a person. Her adventures also land her in a Cherokee war party. While her own adventures are quite varied and the variations a bit unbelievable, real historical figures are portrayed and the reader gains a bouquet of tidbits of knowledge. I think those tidbits are great jumping off points for a deeper study of history.
December 14, 2016
Since this was written for young teens to read it was very good. She does give some historical background at the end to help you to understand what she is writing about. The ending seemed a little too perfect! You can really understand the darkness that came upon Jamie after she was kidnapped and stayed until she was pulled out of with a little help by Royal.
February 25, 2018
really good story, it was a little bit confusing in some parts, and the author didn't make the main character capture your interest fully, but everything else was really really well done!!
September 19, 2024
Very well written historical fiction
March 20, 2025
To is is a really good book and really enjoyed this one! It’s a little bit sad but other than that it’s just a great book totally recommend.
October 17, 2011
I couldn't understand this book vary well. the only reason is becuase they didnt go into deteal. some of the things were in deteal, but it didnt make any seans. I got lost in the book alot.this book somewhat reminds me of a book i read befor i came here. It was called A Stolen life by Jaycee Dugard. That book is basted off of real life. I would recamend this book to people who disagger this what happend back in the olden days.
May 15, 2010
the minute i read the back info i just had to read it!
A secret identity, Scotish speaking, a kidnapping, an amazing adventure!
A secret identity, Scotish speaking, a kidnapping, an amazing adventure!
June 26, 2009
This book is a fast read. Not An awsome book, but it was pretty good. Lot's of history involved.
June 29, 2009
i just started it and I like it! and most of the setting is in Scotland. i am enjoying it so far.
March 27, 2010
Story of a teenage Scottish girl kidnapped and sent to the colonies as an indentured servant. An excellent young adult historical novel.
March 26, 2011
Tough book to get through the beginning, but well written, great themes, so much history in it- highly recommend.
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July 13, 2011I did not read this....... not sure how it accidentally got on my shelf along with the one that I WAS reading, Jaycee Dugard's "A Stolen life"
April 3, 2012
Pretty good
June 9, 2012
In 1700s Scotland a girl, posing as a boy, is kidnapped by "spiriters" to colonial America and sold into bondage. Good story with interesting historical background.
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August 18, 2012I dis not particularly like this book, it just wasn't that good, I liked the writing, the plot was good, the themes were somewhat consistent, but this just wasn't my type of book, sorry to say.
November 20, 2012
I couldn't get into this book what so ever. It never had enough detail for my taste but whatever it's for a project anyway. Go figure.
May 2, 2013
I didn't know about spiriters stealing children rom Scotland. This was a great introduction to that subject for me. I wondered what would happen to these children and the end is quite a twist!
January 26, 2016
Not my favorite book for kids. It was hard to understand and there was not a a lot to hold a child's interest.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews