Those Who Love and Other Books

I've recently read some truly excellent books. It took me quite awhile to get through Those Who Love: A Biographical Novel of Abigail and John Adams by Irving Stone (it's over 600 pages in length), but I just finished it this afternoon. Scurrying over to Wikipedia to check on a few facts, I was surprised to find that today is actually Abigail's birthday! If only my magic wand worked, I would certainly wave it over every woman, young and not so young, so that she'd curl up with this well-researched book, and get acquainted with Abigail, a highly principled, intelligent, devoted-to-God-family-and-country, thoroughly admirable woman. Our struggle to gain independence from Great Britain was transformed from cold, historical data to a vivid, suspense-filled story by Stone's talents. A fascinating, inspiring read!

I'll Watch the Moon by Ann Tatlock is a novel set in the 1940's. Even though the characters are purely fictional, their lives are convincingly enough entwined with actual historical events that I was both enlightened and entertained as I read the book. Always a softie for child protagonists, I was easily won over by this story told from the viewpoint of a nine-year-old girl.

For great family reading, do not miss Ralph Moody's Little Britches series. I'm only on the third of eight books, but I am totally in love with the Moody family. As a reviewer noted, their "money and prospects may be in short supply, but not their faith and resourcefulness." Every member of the family pulls together to keep themselves afloat in very difficult circumstances. Ralph freely admits his mistakes, and shows how his parents wisely guide him along the path toward honest, honorable manhood. Reading aloud with little ones, you'll want to skim over some of the words the rough and tumble cowboys use.

Now for lots of laughs, there's nobody like Ann B. Ross's Miss Julia. She's a spirited southern lady who always finds a way to solve any problem that confronts her. I can almost taste her sidekick Lillian's fried chicken, biscuits, and pound ccake as I speed-read through each book. It's easy to get caught up in Miss Julia's world, and hard to push back from her dining room table and leave her gracious home when the last page is turned. For best effect, I recommend reading the series in order.
MISS JULIA SPEAKS HER MIND
MISS JULIA TAKES OVER
MISS JULIA THROWS A WEDDING
MISS JULIA HITS THE ROAD
MISS JULIA MEETS HER MATCH
MISS JULIA'S SCHOOL OF BEAUTY
MISS JULIA STANDS HER GROUND
MISS JULIA STRIKES BACK
MISS JULIA PAINTS THE TOWN
MISS JULIA DELIVERS THE GOODS
MISS JULIA RENEWS HER VOWS
MISS JULIA ROCKS THE CRADLE