The beloved author of the Little House books was not only one of America's great pioneer storytellers but a woman of vibrant faith. A Prairie Girl's Faith provides the first extended, in depth discussion of the Christian faith of one of America's most beloved pioneer women--Laura Ingalls Wilder. Although the faith of the Ingalls' family pervades books in the Little House series, the more specific details of Laura's faith have never been fully explored. It took extraordinary pluck for anyone to survive the harshness of frontier life--from the heartbreak of sudden crop losses to murderous storms to unrelenting loneliness. This book reveals how in surviving, the brave Laura drew not just on her character, but found encouragement, strength, and hope in her relationship with God.
Pre order your copy here...
Author/Editor Biography of Stephen W. Hines
In the last twenty-four years, Stephen Hines has published seventeen books with over 600,000 copies in print. Using his skills as a literary prospector, Hines has researched and developed four bestsellers: Little House in the Ozarks, (1991; 206,131 printed) "I Remember Laura", (1994; 106,928 printed), The Quiet Little Woman (1999; 215,000 printed), and Laura Ingalls Wilder: Farm Journalist (2007; 2,000 books sold).
Little House in the Ozarks was a Publishers Weekly bestseller, and The Quiet Little Woman landed on the USA Today gift book list. (The University of Missouri considers Farm Journalist to be a bestseller from the standpoint of its being an academic book.)
Hines spends his time in magazine and reference archives, on the Internet, and in university libraries to make his discoveries. His Ozarks book republished over 140 forgotten columns of the famous children's author Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was the first time these columns had been published in book form. It was also a major Christian Booksellers Association title, though most of the sales were in regular trade stores.
The Quiet Little Woman was a significant success for Honor Books. These Christmas stories by Louisa May Alcott reintroduced the nineteenth century's most popular writer for children to a whole new generation of readers and have led to the publication of two more books: Kate's Choice (2001) and Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury (2002). The Christmas Treasury continues to sell through Anderson Merchandising and Starcrest for Cook Communications.
A release for 2006, Writings to Young Women From Laura Ingalls Wilder helped to revive interest in Mrs. Wilder's biography from those years that followed her childhood as she continued to pioneer on the Ozark hill farm she shared with husband Almanzo and daughter Rose. This three book series honored Mrs. Wilder's birth 140 years ago in Pepin, Wisconsin, early in the year 1867.
The University of Missouri release in 2007 collected all of Mrs. Wilder's writings for the old Missouri Ruralist farm paper and published them just as they originally appeared between the years 1911 and 1925.
Hines's eighteenth book will be released September1, 2011: Titanic: One Newspaper, Seven Days, and the Truth That Shocked the World. The work will memorialize the 100th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Titanic on the night of April 14/15 of 1912.
As a graduate student at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, Hines started his career by editing and writing for the Indiana Oral History Newsletter. After graduation, Hines moved to Asheville, North Carolina, to work as a copy editor for The Presbyterian Journal, now called World magazine.
From Asheville, Hines and his family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work for Thomas Nelson Publishers where he eventually became managing editor. After several years at Thomas Nelson, he went to work as editor for Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, and then went to M. Lee Smith Publishers. Now he writes and edits from his home.
Over the years, Hines has also published:
* James: A Faith That Works by David C. Cook, 1987
* Words From a Fearless Heart by Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995
* Saving Graces: The Inspirational Writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Broadman & Holman, 1997
* Laura Ingalls Wilder's Fairy Poems by Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1998 (30,000 copies in print)
* The Quiet Little Woman (for young readers) by Honor Books, 2000
* The True Crime Files of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Berkley Books, 2001
* The Christmas Treasury of Louisa May Alcott by RiverOak Publishing, 2002
* The Abbot's Ghost and The Baron's Gloves are his newest Louisa May Alcott discoveries and were published by Thomas Nelson in October, 2005.
* Ben Hur by Lew Wallace abridges this beloved masterpiece to update it for the modern reader. Thomas Nelson was the publisher in 2005.
Hines and his family live near Nashville. His hobbies include compulsive reading, competitive running, and songwriting. From 2001 to 2003 he was founding Director of Communications for the Tennessee Department of Children's Services. Currently, he is working on two books: Velvet the Dog and Wyatt Earp Was My Uncle.
A website, LiteraryProspector.Com, gives would-be writers advice and ideas on how to get started in publishing and relates the latest information on his Titanic book. His poetry has appeared in The Tennessean, The Nashville Scene, InReview, and Hills & Hamlets. He currently writes a column for The Nolensville Dispatch.
In the last twenty-four years, Stephen Hines has published seventeen books with over 600,000 copies in print. Using his skills as a literary prospector, Hines has researched and developed four bestsellers: Little House in the Ozarks, (1991; 206,131 printed) "I Remember Laura", (1994; 106,928 printed), The Quiet Little Woman (1999; 215,000 printed), and Laura Ingalls Wilder: Farm Journalist (2007; 2,000 books sold).
Little House in the Ozarks was a Publishers Weekly bestseller, and The Quiet Little Woman landed on the USA Today gift book list. (The University of Missouri considers Farm Journalist to be a bestseller from the standpoint of its being an academic book.)
Hines spends his time in magazine and reference archives, on the Internet, and in university libraries to make his discoveries. His Ozarks book republished over 140 forgotten columns of the famous children's author Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was the first time these columns had been published in book form. It was also a major Christian Booksellers Association title, though most of the sales were in regular trade stores.
The Quiet Little Woman was a significant success for Honor Books. These Christmas stories by Louisa May Alcott reintroduced the nineteenth century's most popular writer for children to a whole new generation of readers and have led to the publication of two more books: Kate's Choice (2001) and Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury (2002). The Christmas Treasury continues to sell through Anderson Merchandising and Starcrest for Cook Communications.
A release for 2006, Writings to Young Women From Laura Ingalls Wilder helped to revive interest in Mrs. Wilder's biography from those years that followed her childhood as she continued to pioneer on the Ozark hill farm she shared with husband Almanzo and daughter Rose. This three book series honored Mrs. Wilder's birth 140 years ago in Pepin, Wisconsin, early in the year 1867.
The University of Missouri release in 2007 collected all of Mrs. Wilder's writings for the old Missouri Ruralist farm paper and published them just as they originally appeared between the years 1911 and 1925.
Hines's eighteenth book will be released September1, 2011: Titanic: One Newspaper, Seven Days, and the Truth That Shocked the World. The work will memorialize the 100th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Titanic on the night of April 14/15 of 1912.
As a graduate student at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, Hines started his career by editing and writing for the Indiana Oral History Newsletter. After graduation, Hines moved to Asheville, North Carolina, to work as a copy editor for The Presbyterian Journal, now called World magazine.
From Asheville, Hines and his family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work for Thomas Nelson Publishers where he eventually became managing editor. After several years at Thomas Nelson, he went to work as editor for Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, and then went to M. Lee Smith Publishers. Now he writes and edits from his home.
Over the years, Hines has also published:
* James: A Faith That Works by David C. Cook, 1987
* Words From a Fearless Heart by Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995
* Saving Graces: The Inspirational Writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Broadman & Holman, 1997
* Laura Ingalls Wilder's Fairy Poems by Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1998 (30,000 copies in print)
* The Quiet Little Woman (for young readers) by Honor Books, 2000
* The True Crime Files of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Berkley Books, 2001
* The Christmas Treasury of Louisa May Alcott by RiverOak Publishing, 2002
* The Abbot's Ghost and The Baron's Gloves are his newest Louisa May Alcott discoveries and were published by Thomas Nelson in October, 2005.
* Ben Hur by Lew Wallace abridges this beloved masterpiece to update it for the modern reader. Thomas Nelson was the publisher in 2005.
Hines and his family live near Nashville. His hobbies include compulsive reading, competitive running, and songwriting. From 2001 to 2003 he was founding Director of Communications for the Tennessee Department of Children's Services. Currently, he is working on two books: Velvet the Dog and Wyatt Earp Was My Uncle.
A website, LiteraryProspector.Com, gives would-be writers advice and ideas on how to get started in publishing and relates the latest information on his Titanic book. His poetry has appeared in The Tennessean, The Nashville Scene, InReview, and Hills & Hamlets. He currently writes a column for The Nolensville Dispatch.
My Thoughts...
I was so excited to read this book. I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder when I was younger. So to get to read the book that takes us down the spiritual road and shows us Laura's back ground was a thrill.
This book was so well researched and touched on so many things in young Laura's life.
It tales us way back before Laura wrote the Little House series. You get to look into her life and see why she was such a blessing to us.
Laura had such and authentic faith and from a very young age.
If you, like me are a fan Of Laura Ingalls Wilder then this is a must read. You will love learning about how she found a relationship with God in some of the hardest times.
I gave this book 4 stars. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
I just pre ordered this it will be here in Febuary.
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this one. I loved Little House On the Prairie.
ReplyDeleteI have loved Laura Ingalls Wilder since childhood.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good read!
Good review
ReplyDeleteReading highly recommended is all I needed. I am getting this one.
ReplyDeleteMy wife will want to read this one.
ReplyDeleteIm asking the library to order a copy of this one when it comes out.
ReplyDeleteNice review.
ReplyDeleteWell I for one would read this one in one afternoon. I loved Laura Ingalls. Getting to know her better would sure be a treat.
ReplyDeleteOh I am so sad I wanted to read this next week and it does not come out until Feb.2018 that's to long to wait.
ReplyDeleteDenise, You are the WINNER! Your book will be heading your way in a few days!
DeleteI loved your review of this one Mary. It's going on my list.
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this one.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read this. I love the Little House on the Prairie books! Thanks, Mary!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this. I have always loved Laura Ingalls Wilder and, in fact, took a vacation to her home place and museum last summer. Thank you, Mary for a great review.
ReplyDeletejust asked to read this from blogging for books. I love Laura!! An awesome review!!
ReplyDeleteI want to read this one. Love the cover!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good!
ReplyDeleteI want to read this one!
ReplyDelete