18th century

Lydia Longley, The First American Nun

Author(s): 
Helen A. McCarthy
Illustrator(s): 
John Lawn
Dramatic changes are in store for Lydia Longley when her father brings home a new mother for his children. At the time she is twelve-years-old. This change, however, proves to be small in comparison to the traumatic event that changes her life forever when she is twenty. While everyone is busy preparing breakfast, a party of Abenaki Indians raids their peaceful farm, killing her parents, brothers and sisters. Miraculously, they spare her life along with her younger brother and sister.

Pride and Prejudice

Book cover: 'Pride and Prejudice'

This is a lovely, touching, funny, clever and meaningful miniseries (produced by BBC/A&E) based quite closely on the book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. While it's certainly a "chick movie", there's enough clever writing and acting in it to allow "the guys" to tolerate at least one viewing and probably get something out of it. The theme of the story, which is set in 18th century England, is choosing a marriage partner, and the morals here are very sound.

Sense and Sensibility

Book cover: 'Sense and Sensibility'

Adapted from the novel by Jane Austen

Though more serious in nature than Emma, Sense and Sensibility portrays life in a more beautiful, if not always more fair, time. Three sisters and their mother are being turned out of their family estate upon their father's death because of the laws of succession to their half-brother, whose scheming wife prevents him from helping them out financially. After they move to a small cottage in the country, the family find friends and happiness in unexpected places.

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Book cover: 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'
Author(s): 
Barroness Orczy

This classic romance/mystery set in the French Revolution is the story of a wealthy British nobleman, Percy, with a daring and secret side of his life which he keeps hidden even from his wife - a beautiful French actress. Percy and some close friends have found a sport much more exciting, noble, and dangerous than the typical fox-hunting: that of rescuing French aristocrats from the raging mobs and guillotine of the French revolution.

The Courage of Sarah Noble

Book cover: The Courage of Sarah Noble
Author(s): 
Alice Dalgliesh
Illustrator(s): 
Leonard Weisgard

The Courage of Sarah Noble is based on the true story of eight year old Sarah Noble, who accompanies her father into the Connecticut wilderness to cook meals for him as he builds the family's cabin. The story takes place in 1707 and focuses on her courage against the unknown fears of the wilderness.

The Song at the Scaffold

Book cover: 'The Song at the Scaffold'
Author(s): 
Gertrud von le Fort

This novelette, set at the time of the French Revolution, follows the lives of the nuns of the Carmelite convent at Compiegne during those troubled times, all the way to their martyrdom at the guillotine. Despite the rather short length, the novel is very deep and very moving. The author, rather than having the charcters preach to the reader, created a story which causes the reader to consider some very substantial spiritual issues – suffering, pride, fear, and how God works in our lives.

The Sign of the Beaver

Cover: Sign of the Beaver audio
Author(s): 
Elizabeth George Speare
Greg Schaffert (Narrator)

This is a story about a twelve year old boy named Matt who lived in Maine about 250 years ago. Near the beginning of the story, all of Matt's family (besides Matt) went away. One day he was fishing when a bear took a lot of Matt's food. The next day he was going to try to get a spoon of honey from a bee's hive. The spoon wasn't small enough to fit in the hole; neither was his finger. So he pulled a piece of the bark from above the hole and the bees came out and chased him to a river.