Jennie Glenroy


Book Description

Jennie and Alick Glenroy arrived in Maine with nothing, not even their names, starting anew in a different land, leaving the turmoil and violence of Scotland behind them. Almost twenty years later, the "Godless Glenroys" are a prosperous, though sometimes controversial, family. Alick is the proprietor of a successful shipyard, and Jennie has raised their five children to think for themselves, a trait that occasionally raises the ire of their staid neighbors. The Glenroys, along with the other inhabitants of Whittier, find themselves facing issues that they've long been sheltered from: slavery, malice, and violence. Jennie and Alick must defend their children against malicious accusations and guide them through the trials of adolescence, but also allow them the independence and space to grow into intelligent and principled adults. When a figure from their fugitive past sails into town, everything they have worked to build over the past twenty years is in danger of being torn asunder, but all they can do is face these new challenges with the same courage and persevering spirit that carried them over Highland mountains so many years before.




A Mug Up with Elisabeth


Book Description

Anyone who has come under the spell of Elisabeth Ogilvie's novels to bound to wonder about this writer who, for more than fifty years, has crafted one memorable book after another: historical fiction, mysteries, young adult stories, even a gothic novel. Most are set in Maine or the Scottish Highlands, and for many readers it is Ogilvie's beautifully realized settings that make them pick up her novels again and again. Equally fascinating are her characters: vivid, individual, appealingly imperfect, deeply rooted in their families and home ground. Now, at last, we have a book about this prolific yet unassuming author who would rather live quietly on her Maine island than seek the limelight. A Mug-Up with Elisabeth is the definitive resource on her life, her work, her characters, and her settings--including Criehaven, the inspiration for Bennett's Island, which is arguably one of the most evocative locales in American fiction. On Bennett's Island, many a tale is told and many a crisis resolved around the kitchen table while the islanders pause for a "mug-up" of coffee. In these pages, readers can enjoy a mug-up with Elisabeth Ogilvie herself.




The World of Jennie G.


Book Description

When Jennie Gilchrist fled from the Scottish Estate of Linnmore during the fiery violence of the infamous Highland Clearances, she planned to make her way to her sisters in England, but instead she found herself sailing on the brig Paul Revere, bound for the coast of Maine--the New World. Accompanying her is Alick Gilchrist, cousin to her late husband, now a fugitive. Jennie feels obligated to help Alick escape Scotland, as she is partly to blame for his outlaw status. SInce the sponsor of the trip requires that all immigrant men aboard the Paul Revere be married, Jennie sails as Alick's "wife", the pair traveling under an assumed name, with little aside from the clothes that they wear. They arrive at the small but thriving town of Maddox on the newly settled Maine coast, unlike any place they have known before. They immediately set to building a new life for themselves--Alick building boats, and Jennie teaching the well-to-do MacKenzie children--but while Alick is fixing to live out his days on American soil, Jennie is biding her time and saving money for the passage back to England. But unforeseen events derail her plans, not the least of which is her bond with the inscrutable Alick Glenroy.




Jennie About to Be


Book Description

In 1809, marriage was the best a spirited, healthy, and intelligent girl could hope for, especially if she was an orphan without a fortune. Jennie Hawthorne has been hustled to London by her well-meaning aunt to secure just such a marriage, though Jennie despises the prospective wife parade and yearns for her childhood home by the North Sea. All that changes when she falls for the dashing soldier Nigel Gilchrist, marrying him after a whirlwind romance. Nigel wastes no time whisking his bride to the Scottish Highlands where he will serve as manager to the family estate. In Scotland Jennie is faced with the realities of the Highland Clearances: tenant cottagers forcibly evicted from their homes by lairds to make way for sheep and grazing land. When Jennie learns that both Nigel and his brother are complicit in such clearances, she finds her heart warring with her conscience. She defies Nigel and his brother, doing what she can to help the cottagers, and helping Alick Gilchrist resist the clearances. But their efforts bring disaster: a tragic accident makes Alick a hunted fugitive, and Jennie is compelled by circumstance to throw her lot in with his as they face an arduous journey across mountains to ultimately escape the strife-ridden Highlands.




Down East


Book Description




America in Historical Fiction


Book Description

Portrayals of America's people, places, and events in historical fiction integrate literature with history and make an exciting supplement to U.S. history classes. This book helps educators and students locate the best in classic and contemporary fiction in this subject area. Arranged in major chronological divisions of U.S. history, the annotated entries include standard bibliographic information, time period, subject, location, research base (if known), and whether the title is more appropriate for mature students or younger secondary students. VanMeter often lists prequels and sequels or notes when a title is more than 600 pages long. Extensive indexing provides access to entries on a wide variety of topics, from women, immigrants, and ethnic groups to military, political, and social events.




To Be Continued


Book Description

Keeping track of prolific authors who write fiction series was quite challenging for even the most ardent fan until To Be Continueddebuted in 1995. Noew, readers will be happy that the soon-to-be-released second edition has added 1,600 new books and 400 new series. To Be Continued, Second Edition, maintians the first volume's successful formula that featured concise A-to-Z entries packed with useful information, including titles, publishers, publication dates, genre categories, annotations, and subject terms. Among the genre categories that can be found in To Be Continued are romance, science fiction, crime novel, horror, adventure, fantasy, humor, western, war, Christian fiction, and others.




American Historical Fiction


Book Description

This publication will fill a gap in the bibliographic reference shelf by identifying historical novels for both adult and young adult readers. ^IAmerican Historical Fiction^R contains over 3,000 titles set in states and historical regions of the United States. Entries are organized by time period. The newest titles, as well as old favorites, are covered. The volume is indexed by author, title, genre, subject, and geographic setting.




Sequels


Book Description

A guide to series fiction lists popular series, identifies novels by character, and offers guidance on the order in which to read unnumbered series.




Encyclopedia of American Literature of the Sea and Great Lakes


Book Description

The sea and Great Lakes have inspired American authors from colonial times to the present to produce enduring literary works. This reference is a comprehensive survey of American sea literature. The scope of the encyclopedia ranges from the earliest printed matter produced in the colonies to contemporary experiments in published prose, poetry, and drama. The book also acknowledges how literature gives rise to adaptations and resonances in music and film and includes coverage of nonliterary topics that have nonetheless shaped American literature of the sea and Great Lakes. The alphabetical arrangement of the reference facilitates access to facts about major literary works, characters, authors, themes, vessels, places, and ideas that are central to American sea literature. Each of the several hundred entries is written by an expert contributor and many provide bibliographical information. While the encyclopedia includes entries for white male canonical writers such as Herman Melville and Jack London, it also gives considerable attention to women at sea and to ethnically diverse authors, works, and themes. The volume concludes with a chronology and a list of works for further reading.