Julie in Clean Reads

Feb 20, 2008 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

I have read this one countless times. Catherine Marshall is my favorite author. My only regret is that she only wrote three books in her lifetime. This is her best. I cannot overemphasize how incredible her writing is! This is a historical fiction about a young journalist/reporter who tries unsuccessfully to warn others about structural deficiencies in a nearby dam. You won't believe the climax! ...more

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Sep 15, 2021 Linda Martin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: families, romance, christian, historical-fiction, audiobook, 2021, fiction, poverty

Somehow I think this is a novel I'll never forget. It is that intensely dramatic. I just finished reading this story and feel speechless about the last 1/4 of the book. I sure do not want to reveal any spoilers.

Julie's struggle for acceptance as a newspaper reporter (originally just a copy editor) took her places she never expected to go, and the young men who pursued her gave her many opportunities to learn what she needed to know about life.

Julie's family moved from Alabama to Pennsylvania and ...more

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Sep 20, 2017 Heather rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was an unusual book, a conglomerate of sorts. The summary claims it to be somewhat based on Catherine Marshall's own life, yet it seems like that part is a relatively small fraction. Sure, she was 17 once, and was living in Keyser, West Virginia, at the time, which is a bit south of Pennsylvania, the book's setting. Catherine was born in Sept 1914, so she would have been 20 in 1934, the year the book starts out in, while Julia is 17. So Catherine, while slightly older, still would have had This was an unusual book, a conglomerate of sorts. The summary claims it to be somewhat based on Catherine Marshall's own life, yet it seems like that part is a relatively small fraction. Sure, she was 17 once, and was living in Keyser, West Virginia, at the time, which is a bit south of Pennsylvania, the book's setting. Catherine was born in Sept 1914, so she would have been 20 in 1934, the year the book starts out in, while Julia is 17. So Catherine, while slightly older, still would have had personal experiences of the Great Depression. Once last similarity I would include is that Catherine's father was a pastor, and Julie's father was a former pastor -- although he's trying out a new profession in this story, a newspaper owner and editor.

This conglomerate contains many other elements of things that Catherine Marshall was interested in and researched. A main one is the Johnstown Flood of 1889 -- the negligence of a privately-owned reservoir and earthen dam causing so much destruction and death. Also, she includes details about the early union movement, which reminded me a bit of How Green Was My Valley. Also, Catherine includes details about running a small newspaper, a group of men who secretly do acts of service, and a few young men interested in courting Julie.

The book feels a bit dated, but I still enjoyed reading it. The sense of tick-tock, tick-tock, how long will the dam hold up, increases the tension. And I liked the character of her father, who learns to put his past behind him and stand up to the city's bullies. In one scene, he gives a speech to a church gathering in which many of the congregation are against programs that help the poor of their town. Here's part of it:

"Jesus' never-ending ministry to the less privileged not only annoyed but offended the church officials. So they challenged Jesus on this. Why did He insist... on spending His time with the scum of the earth?... His reply was simple. 'These are the ones who need me.' No sinner had sunk too low for Him to reach out, lift up, forgive, restore. From no diseased body would he turn away.... But, you are asking, how does all of this apply to Baker Memorial Church? If this church is to be part of Christ's body on earth, a real church, and not just become the Alderton Sunday Morning Club, then we have to get on with being Christ's voice and hands and feet."

PG ...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Jen rated it really liked it

Great coming of age story. A little predictable, but a nice CLEAN interesting book. Slow, something to read when you have nothing better to read. :)

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Apr 21, 2009 Virginia rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this story and found it informative as well. It was a fascinating look into newspaper and steel business, as well as life in this small town during the depression era. Also, the horrific picture of the devastating flood is painted so realistically that it seemed like you were watching it happen. I thoroughly enjoyed the way a Christian story was told without being preachy.

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