Eliza Birdwell Series by Jessamyn West

A quintessential American heroine, Eliza Birdwell is a wonderful blend of would-be austerity, practicality, and gentle humor when it comes to keeping her faith and caring for her family and community. Her husband, Jess, shares Eliza's love of people and peaceful ways but, unlike Eliza, also displays a fondness for a fast horse and a lively tune... moreA quintessential American heroine, Eliza Birdwell is a wonderful blend of would-be austerity, practicality, and gentle humor when it comes to keeping her faith and caring for her family and community. Her husband, Jess, shares Eliza's love of people and peaceful ways but, unlike Eliza, also displays a fondness for a fast horse and a lively tune. With their children, they must negotiate their way through a world that constantly confronts them—sometimes with candor, sometimes with violence—and tests the strength of their beliefs. Whether it's a gift parcel arriving on their doorstep or Confederate soldiers approaching their land, the Birdwells embrace life with emotion, conviction, and a love for one another that seems to conquer all.The Friendly Persuasion has charmed generations of readers as one of our classic tales of the American Midwest. less

These further adventures of Jess and Eliza Birdwell, the beloved hero and heroine of The Friendly Persuasion, are cause for celebration to the millions who have met them in Jessamyn West's memorable book... moreThese further adventures of Jess and Eliza Birdwell, the beloved hero and heroine of The Friendly Persuasion, are cause for celebration to the millions who have met them in Jessamyn West's memorable book.Here are those gallant Quakers, young and in love, meeting the challenges of nature and man as the growing family travels westward, then encountering the bitterness and savagery that explode into the Civil War, later guiding their children through the confusing aftermath, and, finally, looking at their world with bittersweet maturity. For all its fascinating differences, their world confronts dilemmas strikingly contemporary - youthful rebellion, racial intolerance, social inequity, and warfare's misery. To each, Miss West brings deep and meaningful insights. less