Fiction_L Archives "Gentle" but not religious fiction? Dates: 12/9/04,10:36 AM  through  1/22/05,12:40 PM  (56 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to December 2004 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 10:36 AM

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: Cynthia Orr <[removed]@cpl.org>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 10:47 AM

My first thought is 30-40 year old novels by best selling authors such as Taylor Caldwell, Anya Seton, Jacqueline Briskin, Susan Howatch, Dorothy Eden, Norah Lofts, Elizabeth Goudge. Just good old fashioned stories.

Cindy

Cynthia Orr
Collection Manager
Cleveland Public Library
17133 Lake Shore Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44110
Phone: 216-623-2906
Fax: 216-623-2977
http://www.cpl.org

----- Original Message -----
From: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
Date: Thursday, December 9, 2004 11:26 am
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
> Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
> depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
> care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
> Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
>
> Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
> Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
>
> Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
> who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
> a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
> nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
> traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
> culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
> traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
> Any ideas???
>
> Thanks!
>
> Christine Eldred
> MLS graduate student
> Burlington, Vermont
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>

FROM: "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <[removed]@cityofsalem.net>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 10:59 AM

Off the top of my brain here are a few authors my elderly homebound
patrons enjoy who also do not want "those religious or preachy stories".

Ann Purser - Patrons enjoy both her "village" novels and recently
published mysteries.

Rosalind Laker - her romantic historical novels are fairly mild and
contain some historical content.

Effie Wilder - "Over the Hill" series. These are light, fun, and
patrons love them.

Baumbich. Charlotte - The Dearest Dorothy series. First title is
Dearest Dorothy, Slow Down, You're Wearing Us Out. These have some
Christian content but for the most part are fairly light-hearted.

Betty Neels is also very popular but mostly wrote (she died a few years
ago) in the very light romance vein. Most of her books have been
published by Harlequin.

I will send more when I journey to my other work area.

Robin Beerbower
Salem (OR) Public Library

>>> [removed]@gmail.com 12/09/04 08:26AM >>>
Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: "Pamela Kource" <[removed]@cumberland.lib.nc.us>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 11:17 AM

Betty Neels novels fit the bill perfectly. These were originally written for
the Mills and Boone (?) the English parent company of the US's Harlequin
line. I've been reading and collecting her books for years. Sometimes the
female character is a bit too naïve or clueless for my tastes, but there are
some days where only a Betty Neels romance will do.

Pamela Kource
Fayetteville, NC

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org [[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]
On Behalf Of Christine Eldred
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: [removed]@grpl.org
REC'D: 12/9/04, 11:22 AM

Rosamunde Pilcher-great stories, romance, some historical settings.
Dorothy Gilman--The Mrs. Pollifax mysteries are very fun, plus I enjoyed
'Thale's Folly' as a light romantic read.
Barbara Michaels--suspense, romance and a touch of the supernatural.

Amy L. Cochran
West Leonard Branch
Grand Rapids Public Library

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
> depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
> care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
> Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
>
> Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
> Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
>
> Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
> who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
> a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
> nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
> traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
> culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
> traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
> Any ideas???
>
> Thanks!
>
> Christine Eldred
> MLS graduate student
> Burlington, Vermont
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>

FROM: Melissa Groveman <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 11:39 AM

Alexander McCall Smith (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series)
Ann B. Ross (Miss Julia Series)
Maeve Binchy - sex can sometimes be mentioned and scandals can happen,
but she is never explicit.

The characters in all of these books may express some religious
beliefs, but these are definitely not religious fiction.

Melissa Groveman
Greene County Public Library
Xenia, OH

On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 12:12:57 -0500, Pamela Kource
<[removed]@cumberland.lib.nc.us> wrote:
> Betty Neels novels fit the bill perfectly. These were originally written for
> the Mills and Boone (?) the English parent company of the US's Harlequin
> line. I've been reading and collecting her books for years. Sometimes the
> female character is a bit too naïve or clueless for my tastes, but there are
> some days where only a Betty Neels romance will do.
>
> Pamela Kource
> Fayetteville, NC
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org [[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]
> On Behalf Of Christine Eldred
> Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
> To: Fiction_L
> Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
>
> Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
> depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
> care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
> Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
>
> Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
> Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
>
> Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
> who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
> a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
> nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
> traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
> culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
> traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
> Any ideas???
>
> Thanks!
>
> Christine Eldred
> MLS graduate student
> Burlington, Vermont
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>

FROM: "Hogan, Jean E." <[removed]@nvcc.edu>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 11:56 AM

What about Rosalind Miles' Tristan and Isolde series; the third one is just
out. Or her Guenevere series?

Or DAGGER AND THE CROSS, THE
by JUDITH TARR The inevitable clash between Christian and Saracen in the
holy city of Jerusalem becomes a personal war between two immortal lovers as
religious fanatics and political ambition conspire to thwart an act of
conciliation that would unite two opposing faiths. Set in the alternate,
magical 12th-century world of Tarr's "Hound and Falcon" series, this sequel
to Alamut ( LJ 12/89), featuring compelling characters and a wealth of
historic detail, belongs in most fantasy collections.

Or her Hound and Falcon series. I read these a long time ago. I LOVED them
but I can't vouch for the violence. Too long ago! But I think non
traditional religion was a big part of both series.

And how about. Prince of Dreams: A Tale of Tristan and Essylte -- by NANCY
MCKENZIE; Paperback
Grail Prince -- by NANCY MCKENZIE;
Queen of Camelot -- by NANCY MCKENZIE

-----Original Message-----
From: Christine Eldred [[removed]@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <[removed]@cityofsalem.net>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 12:19 PM

Here are more suggested authors. Some of these may cross the broder
from "chaste" to "a little humid" but I haven't received complaints
except for those who don't even like the characters to kiss in their
romances!

Jane Kirkpatrick - great historical series with a just a touch of
inspirational content

Jeanne Williams - historical/romance

Dorothy Garlock
Traci Depree - Can of Peas
Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cover series that starts with 16 Lighthouse
Road
Madeline Smith - Lemon Jelly Cake
Marcia Willett (similar to Pilcher)
Sandra Dallas
DE Stevenson - old author but popular
Claire Cook - contemporary fun romance
Jeanne Ray - same as Cook
Eugene Price
Joan Medlicott - Ladies of Convington series
Billie Letts

Please compile the list as it will be a great addition to my RA
notebook.

Thanks,
Robin Beerbower

>>> [removed]@gmail.com 12/9/2004 8:26:26 AM >>>
Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: "Dick Turner" <[removed]@vpl.ca>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 1:16 PM

Christine, has she tried any of the Miss Read books?

Dick

-----Original Message-----
From: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
Sent: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 11:26:26 -0500
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont
.....................................................................
Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick Turner, Librarian II
Popular Reading Library
Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V6B 6B1
Telephone: (604) 331-3686
Fax: (604) 331-3688
E-mail: [removed]@vpl.ca
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-- Benjamin Franklin

FROM: Candice Michalik <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 1:50 PM

I would recommend "Lamb in Love" by Carrie Brown. Her
other books were excellent as well, but this one in
particular is gentle and humorous and you are pulling
for the protagonist all the way!

I was happy to see that someone mentioned Rosamunde
Pilcher. She's one of my favorites. However, in her
book "Winter Solstice" an older man and woman live
together for a while without the benefit of marriage.
Would that offend your grandmother?

=====
Candice Michalik
Reference Librarian
Lynchburg Public Library
Lynchburg, VA
[removed]@yahoo.com



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we.
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FROM: <[removed]@metronet.lib.mi.us>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 2:00 PM

If she likes English characters, the novels of Katie Fforde might work.>

Alexander McCall Smith (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series)
> Ann B. Ross (Miss Julia Series)
> Maeve Binchy - sex can sometimes be mentioned and scandals can happen,
> but she is never explicit.
>
> The characters in all of these books may express some religious
> beliefs, but these are definitely not religious fiction.
>
> Melissa Groveman
> Greene County Public Library
> Xenia, OH
>
>
> On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 12:12:57 -0500, Pamela Kource
> <[removed]@cumberland.lib.nc.us> wrote:
>> Betty Neels novels fit the bill perfectly. These were originally
>> written for the Mills and Boone (?) the English parent company of the
>> US's Harlequin line. I've been reading and collecting her books for
>> years. Sometimes the female character is a bit too naïve or clueless
>> for my tastes, but there are some days where only a Betty Neels
>> romance will do.
>>
>> Pamela Kource
>> Fayetteville, NC
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
>> [[removed]@maillist.webrary.org] On Behalf Of Christine Eldred
>> Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
>> To: Fiction_L
>> Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
>>
>> Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
>> depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
>> care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
>> Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
>>
>> Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
>> Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
>>
>> Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
>> who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
>> a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
>> nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
>> traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
>> culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
>> traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
>> Any ideas???
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Christine Eldred
>> MLS graduate student
>> Burlington, Vermont
>> ......................................................................
>> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>>
>> ......................................................................
>> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>>
>>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

FROM: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 2:12 PM

Great idea--thanks! I had been trying to think of some older
novelists as possibilities and you've given me an excellent list.
Thank you so much!
Christine

On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 11:31:18 -0500, Cynthia Orr <[removed]@cpl.org> wrote:
> My first thought is 30-40 year old novels by best selling authors such as Taylor Caldwell, Anya Seton, Jacqueline Briskin, Susan Howatch, Dorothy Eden, Norah Lofts, Elizabeth Goudge. Just good old fashioned stories.
>
> Cindy
>
> Cynthia Orr
> Collection Manager
> Cleveland Public Library
> 17133 Lake Shore Boulevard
> Cleveland, OH 44110
> Phone: 216-623-2906
> Fax: 216-623-2977
> http://www.cpl.org
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
> Date: Thursday, December 9, 2004 11:26 am
> Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
> > Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
> > depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
> > care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
> > Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
> >
> > Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
> > Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
> >
> > Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
> > who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
> > a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
> > nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
> > traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
> > culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
> > traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
> > Any ideas???
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Christine Eldred
> > MLS graduate student
> > Burlington, Vermont
> > ......................................................................
> > Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> > Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
> >
> >
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>

FROM: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 2:30 PM

Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.

Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
Christine

On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 11:04:13 -0800, Dick Turner <[removed]@vpl.ca> wrote:
> Christine, has she tried any of the Miss Read books?
>

FROM: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 2:42 PM

Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.

Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
Christine

On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 11:04:13 -0800, Dick Turner <[removed]@vpl.ca> wrote:
> Christine, has she tried any of the Miss Read books?
>

FROM: "Dehoff, Christine" <[removed]@ecc.edu>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 2:42 PM

My book club just finished "Morningside Heights" by Cheryl Mendelson.
The group described it as gentle, but contemporary and engaging. It led
to a great discussion.

Chris Dehoff
Erie Community College
Buffalo, NY

FROM: "Dick Turner" <[removed]@vpl.ca>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 3:45 PM

... then, what about Ann Purser.

Dick

On Thu, 9 Dec 2004, Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com> wrote:

>Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.
>
>Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
>got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
>Christine
>
>
>On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 11:04:13 -0800, Dick Turner <[removed]@vpl.ca> wrote:
>> Christine, has she tried any of the Miss Read books?
>>
>.....................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick Turner, Librarian II
Popular Reading Library
Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V6B 6B1
Telephone: (604) 331-3686
Fax: (604) 331-3688
E-mail: [removed]@vpl.ca
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-- Benjamin Franklin

FROM: "Linda Cannon" <[removed]@joplinpubliclibrary.org>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 3:56 PM

Here's the list of authors on our "Gentle Reads" bookmark:

Bess Streeter Aldrich
Jane Austen
Carrie Bender
Taylor Caldwell
A. J. Cronin
Mazo De La Roche
Paul Gallico
Elizabeth Goudge
Georgette Heyer
Grace Livingston Hill
Jan Karon
Garrison Keillor
Emilie Loring
Janette Oke
Mary E. Pearce
Rosamund Pilcher
Eugenia Price
Barbara Pym
Miss Read
D. E. Stevenson
Jessamyn West
P. G. Wodehouse

Linda Cannon, Collection Development Librarian
Joplin Public Library
300 S. Main St.
Joplin, MO 64801
417-623-7953

FROM: [removed]@freenet.richland.oh.us (Christine Rule)
REC'D: 12/9/04, 4:13 PM

*This message was sent using a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) SMTP*
*This message was sent using a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) FC Gateway*
Has anyone suggested Jon Hassler?
Chris

[removed]@gmail.com,internet writes:
*This message was received using a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) FC Gateway*
*This message was received using a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) SMTP*
Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.

Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
Christine

On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 11:04:13 -0800, Dick Turner <[removed]@vpl.ca> wrote:
> Christine, has she tried any of the Miss Read books?

FROM: "B. Gigot" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 4:25 PM

I have no suggestions at the moment, but, I'll look into this when I get
back to work.
I have a group of ladies that primarily go for the "christian fiction" but,
they read other
"gentle reads" as well. Heaven (and elsewhere) forbid there should be sex,
violence
or any other menacing thoughts in their books. I'll be watching this thread
for other
suggestions, for my ladies, as well!

>From: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
>Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
>Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 11:26:26 -0500
>
>Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
>depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
>care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
>Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
>
>Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
>Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
>
>Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
>who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
>a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
>nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
>traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
>culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
>traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
>Any ideas???
>
>Thanks!
>
>Christine Eldred
>MLS graduate student
>Burlington, Vermont
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>

FROM: Ann Brown <[removed]@cityof.lawton.ok.us>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 4:53 PM

Another "older author" I haven't seen mentioned is Emilie Loring, who wrote
romances between 1922 and the early 1950s. (She died in 1951, but a number
of books were published after her death.) I read several as a teenager and
thought of her as Grace Livingston Hill without the religion.

Ann Brown
Lawton Public Library
Lawton, OK

-----Original Message-----

>>> [removed]@gmail.com 12/9/2004 8:26:26 AM >>>
Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont
......................................................................

FROM: "Keddy Outlaw" <[removed]@hcpl.net>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 5:17 PM

Betty Neels books were one of our customer's favorites -- a retired nun.
She told me how clean and tasteful they were; they were practically the only
romances she would read.

Some other authors along this vein that may not have been mentioned already
(a mix of recent and less recent names):

Elizabeth Cadell
R.F. Delderfield
Suzanne Goodwin
Mollie Hardwick
Grace Livingston Hill
Pamela Hill
Rosalind Laker
Emilie Loring
L. M. Montgomery
Nicholas Sparks
LaVyrle Spencer
D.E. Stevenson
Marcia Willett

Keddy Ann Outlaw
Branch Librarian
West University Library
6108 Auden St.
Houston, TX 77005

Harris County Public Library: Your Pathway to Knowledge
____________________________________________________________________________
_______

From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org [[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]
On Behalf Of Christine Eldred
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org [[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]
On Behalf Of Christine Eldred
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: "Billie Mills" <[removed]@showme.net>
REC'D: 12/9/04, 8:09 PM

What about Elswyth Thane? The Williamsburg novels. Historical, some
romance, no sex or bad language.

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org] On Behalf Of Keddy Outlaw
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 4:53 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Gentle but not Religious Fiction

Betty Neels books were one of our customer's favorites -- a retired nun.
She told me how clean and tasteful they were; they were practically the
only romances she would read.

Some other authors along this vein that may not have been mentioned
already (a mix of recent and less recent names):

Elizabeth Cadell
R.F. Delderfield
Suzanne Goodwin
Mollie Hardwick
Grace Livingston Hill
Pamela Hill
Rosalind Laker
Emilie Loring
L. M. Montgomery
Nicholas Sparks
LaVyrle Spencer
D.E. Stevenson
Marcia Willett

Keddy Ann Outlaw
Branch Librarian
West University Library
6108 Auden St.
Houston, TX 77005

Harris County Public Library: Your Pathway to Knowledge
________________________________________________________________________
____
_______

From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]
On Behalf Of Christine Eldred
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't care
for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan Karon's
Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes a
bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but nothing
too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than traditional
religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop culture at all
(i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of traditional, even
old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay. Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]
On Behalf Of Christine Eldred
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't care
for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan Karon's
Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes a
bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but nothing
too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than traditional
religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop culture at all
(i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of traditional, even
old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay. Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 12:35 AM

OK, Christine - here are some suggestions for your grandmother: Romance but
no overt sex.

1. Yes, Betty Neels would be fine - any and all of her books. Almost all
are set in Holland, and feature a dr. as the hero.

2. Early Harlequin and Silhouette Romances.

3. Those wonderful gothics, such as Mary Stewart and Phyllis Whitney.

4. Novels of Emilie Loring

5. Australila-set novels by authors such as Lucy Walker.

6. Early Signet regency novels by Joan Wolf

7. All the Signet regency novels of Rita Boucher.

8. The mysteries of Mary Roberts Rinehart.

9. Laura (later made into the famous film noir) by Vera Caspary

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

All of the above might be found in used books stores, esp. those specializing
in romance. If you need names of bookstores that might be likely candidates,
please feel free to contact me off list.

In a message dated 12/9/2004 11:27:29 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@gmail.com writes:
Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.

Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.

Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
Any ideas???

Thanks!

Christine Eldred
MLS graduate student
Burlington, Vermont

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 12:40 AM

And Christine's grandmother might enjoy The Williamsburg series by Elswyth
Thane. & interrelated historical novels.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 12:51 AM

How about Robin McKinley's Beauty, as well as The Door in the Hedge (4
wonderful fairy tales, 2 re-do's, and 2 originals?

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 12:57 AM

And maybe Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael, not (overtly) religious,
well-written, no sex...and Christine's grandmother can even enjoy them on videotape, if
she's interested, since almost all of them were done on PBS.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 1:02 AM

Anne McCaffrey's Ring of Fear (not too much sex) and her Mark of Merlin (a
kind of gothic romance.)

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 1:08 AM

Paul Gallico is a great choice, esp. The Love of Seven Dolls (the basis for
LILI), Too Many Ghosts, The Snow Goose, and many short stories.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 1:20 AM

In a message dated 12/9/2004 5:49:01 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@cityof.lawton.ok.us writes:
Another "older author" I haven't seen mentioned is Emilie Loring, who wrote
romances between 1922 and the early 1950s. (She died in 1951, but a number
of books were published after her death.) I read several as a teenager and
thought of her as Grace Livingston Hill without the religion.

Ann Brown
Lawton Public Library
Lawton, OK
I think of her books as kind of gentle gothics. I seem to remember them
having mystery sub-texts.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: "Warner, Deb" <[removed]@co.durham.nc.us>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 6:22 AM

A few authors I would like to mention, in case no one else has done so:
Joan Medlicott (the Ladies of Covington Send Their Love, etc)
Elizabeth Cadell
Elizabeth Peters / Barbara Michaels
Joan Aiken
Ellis Peters (I'm thinking more of her romantic suspense titles)
Elizabeth Oglive
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Cannon [[removed]@joplinpubliclibrary.org]
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 3:52 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

Here's the list of authors on our "Gentle Reads" bookmark:

Bess Streeter Aldrich
Jane Austen
Carrie Bender
Taylor Caldwell
A. J. Cronin
Mazo De La Roche
Paul Gallico
Elizabeth Goudge
Georgette Heyer
Grace Livingston Hill
Jan Karon
Garrison Keillor
Emilie Loring
Janette Oke
Mary E. Pearce
Rosamund Pilcher
Eugenia Price
Barbara Pym
Miss Read
D. E. Stevenson
Jessamyn West
P. G. Wodehouse

Linda Cannon, Collection Development Librarian
Joplin Public Library
300 S. Main St.
Joplin, MO 64801
417-623-7953

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/10/04, 8:06 AM

And Madeline Brent.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: "Peel, Nancy" <[removed]@city.windsor.on.ca>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 8:59 AM

What about Maeve Binchy, or Adriana Trigiani?

Nancy Peel
Windsor Public Library
---------------------

Subject: Re: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
From: "Christine Eldred" <[removed]@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 14:25:46 -0500

Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.

Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
Christine

FROM: "Krauszer, Karen" <[removed]@plcmc.org>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 10:27 AM

I haven't seen Jeanne Ray's name yet. She's a gentle read, and no
religion...
Karen Krauszer
PLCMC

-----Original Message-----
From: Peel, Nancy
To: Fiction_L
Sent: 12/10/2004 9:57 AM
Subject: Re: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

What about Maeve Binchy, or Adriana Trigiani?

Nancy Peel
Windsor Public Library
---------------------

Subject: Re: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
From: "Christine Eldred" <[removed]@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 14:25:46 -0500

Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.

Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
Christine

FROM: "Pam Langhoff" <[removed]@rpls.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 11:08 AM

What about Marion Chesney?
Pam Langhoff
Lincoln Library
Spfld. IL

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Dick Turner
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 2:38 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

... then, what about Ann Purser.

Dick

On Thu, 9 Dec 2004, Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com> wrote:

>Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.
>
>Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
>got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
>Christine
>
>
>On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 11:04:13 -0800, Dick Turner <[removed]@vpl.ca> wrote:
>> Christine, has she tried any of the Miss Read books?
>>
>.....................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick Turner, Librarian II
Popular Reading Library
Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V6B 6B1
Telephone: (604) 331-3686
Fax: (604) 331-3688
E-mail: [removed]@vpl.ca
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-- Benjamin Franklin

FROM: "Hogan, Jean E." <[removed]@nvcc.edu>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 11:30 AM

If she can stand a *little* religion I would recommend Kingsbury's Reunion
(This touching story allows us to see into the lives of the Baxter family as
Erin and Sam attempt to adopt a child. As the family looks forward to a
heartwarming reunion they find out that Mr. and Mrs. Baxter have a secret
that could change their lives forever. From Amazon)

And A Time to Embrace as well as A Time to Dance
From Publishers Weekly
In this sequel to A Time to Dance, beloved evangelical Christian novelist
Kingsbury brings readers up to date on the trials and tribulations of Abby
and John Reynolds, who, after 20-plus years of marriage, are enjoying
something of a second honeymoon. Then John's career comes under attack when
anonymous letters smearing his reputation are sent to the high school where
he coaches. Worse still, he is in a car accident (a well-worn device of
evangelical fiction), which he survives but which paralyzes him from the
waist down. Abby and John's new challenges sit at the center of this novel,
but there are several engaging subplots keeping the narrative moving at a
fast clip: their newly married daughter learns she's pregnant, even though
she had planned to wait four years before starting a family; a divorced
couple is thrown back together and must work out their anger and mistrust;
and Jake Daniels, the student whose car hit Coach Reynolds, must try to
forgive himself for injuring his mentor. Religiously inclined readers will
appreciate Kingsbury's deft and sophisticated treatment of prayer, as
characters struggle to understand how and when God answers prayers. Less
satisfying is Kingsbury's unsubtle insertion of hot-button evangelical
social issues: a son delving into Internet porn, a mother-in-law repenting
for a long-past abortion. There's even a passing potshot at sexual education
in schools. Still, Kingsbury's hallmarks are in evidence: readers can expect
lively dialogue, likable characters and a passionate witness to the
commitments and obligations of marriage.

I REALLY enjoyed all three of these titles. Reunion was the last in the
series and I'm debating about going back and reading the preceding volumes.

-----Original Message-----
From: Pam Langhoff [[removed]@rpls.lib.il.us]
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 11:53 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

What about Marion Chesney?
Pam Langhoff
Lincoln Library
Spfld. IL

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Dick Turner
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 2:38 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

... then, what about Ann Purser.

Dick

On Thu, 9 Dec 2004, Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com> wrote:

>Yes, she's done the Miss Read series! Good suggestion, though.
>
>Thanks to everyone for these great ideas--keep 'em coming if you've
>got more! As Robin has asked me to compile a list, I will do so.
>Christine
>
>
>On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 11:04:13 -0800, Dick Turner <[removed]@vpl.ca> wrote:
>> Christine, has she tried any of the Miss Read books?
>>
>.....................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick Turner, Librarian II
Popular Reading Library
Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V6B 6B1
Telephone: (604) 331-3686
Fax: (604) 331-3688
E-mail: [removed]@vpl.ca
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-- Benjamin Franklin

FROM: "B. Gigot" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 1:19 PM

How about Debbie Macomber's books? Or, Roxanne Henke's?

>From: "Hogan, Jean E." <[removed]@nvcc.edu>
>Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>Subject: RE: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
>Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 12:36:05 -0500
>
>What about Rosalind Miles' Tristan and Isolde series; the third one is just
>out. Or her Guenevere series?
>
>Or DAGGER AND THE CROSS, THE
>by JUDITH TARR The inevitable clash between Christian and Saracen in the
>holy city of Jerusalem becomes a personal war between two immortal lovers
>as
>religious fanatics and political ambition conspire to thwart an act of
>conciliation that would unite two opposing faiths. Set in the alternate,
>magical 12th-century world of Tarr's "Hound and Falcon" series, this sequel
>to Alamut ( LJ 12/89), featuring compelling characters and a wealth of
>historic detail, belongs in most fantasy collections.
>
>Or her Hound and Falcon series. I read these a long time ago. I LOVED
>them
>but I can't vouch for the violence. Too long ago! But I think non
>traditional religion was a big part of both series.
>
>And how about. Prince of Dreams: A Tale of Tristan and Essylte -- by
>NANCY
>MCKENZIE; Paperback
>Grail Prince -- by NANCY MCKENZIE;
>Queen of Camelot -- by NANCY MCKENZIE
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Christine Eldred [[removed]@gmail.com]
>Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
>To: Fiction_L
>Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
>
>Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
>depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
>care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
>Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
>
>Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
>Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
>
>Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
>who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
>a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
>nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
>traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
>culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
>traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
>Any ideas???
>
>Thanks!
>
>Christine Eldred
>MLS graduate student
>Burlington, Vermont
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>

FROM: Crystal Renfro <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 1:31 PM

EXACTLY! I've been trying for two days to remember
Elswyth Thane's name! I thought that series would be
perfect too, but couldn't remember any of the book
titles or the author. And whoever listed Emily
Loring, that was a great author choice too. I am sure
that Grace Livingston Hill would be too religious for
her. (My all time favorite author, but she always has
a strong Christian message)

Crystal Renfro

Subject: RE: Gentle but not Religious Fiction
From: "Billie Mills" <[removed]@showme.net>
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 19:39:33 -0600

What about Elswyth Thane? The Williamsburg novels.
Historical, some
romance, no sex or bad language.


__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone.
http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo

FROM: Spring Quick <[removed]@ccrls.org>
REC'D: 12/10/04, 2:22 PM

I don't think I've seen these mentioned:

Freedman, Benedict & Nancy. Mrs. Mike

Cockrell, Marian. Mixed Blessings

Brent, Madeleine. Moonraker's Bride; and other titles. If she likes
romantic suspense many of this author's books do have a mystical element.

Whitney, Phyllis. The Fire and the Gold

Summers, Essie. many titles--I always think of her as similar to Betty Neels

Bjorn, Thyra F. Papa's Wife. Although this one may be "too religious."

***************************************************************************
Spring Quick, Adult Services Librarian
Silver Falls Library District
410 South Water Street
Silverton, Oregon 97381

(503)873-8796

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/11/04, 2:06 AM

Crystal -

Titles in the Williamsburg Series:
Dawn's Early Light
Yankee Stranger
Ever After
The Light Heart
Kissing Kin
This Was Tomorrow
Homing

Thane also wrote a wonderful YA ghost book book entitled Tryst, and a book
entitled Queen's Folly, which spans Elizabethan England (and a portrait of the
Queen) from the 16th to the 20th century. The above books would also fit
Christine's parameters - romance, no sex, not very violent (for the second book).

I did a Google search on Elswyth Thane + Williamsburg Series, and came up
with some interesting sites and links. One which I really liked gave excellent
descriptions of each of the volumes:
http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ochsner/article1005.html

Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librarian

In a message dated 12/10/2004 2:23:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@yahoo.com writes:
EXACTLY! I've been trying for two days to remember
Elswyth Thane's name! I thought that series would be
perfect too, but couldn't remember any of the book
titles or the author. And whoever listed Emily
Loring, that was a great author choice too. I am sure
that Grace Livingston Hill would be too religious for
her. (My all time favorite author, but she always has
a strong Christian message)

Crystal Renfro

Subject: RE: Gentle but not Religious Fiction
From: "Billie Mills" <[removed]@showme.net>
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 19:39:33 -0600

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 9:30 AM

You didn't mention whether she is into romance. If she is, you can
definitely suggest Barbara Cartland (some 700 books!), Grace Livingston
Hill, Kathleen Norris, and other older authors, as well as the "Gothics" we
all remember from the '70's--Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and their ilk.

There should be lots of historical fiction she would like. Try F. Van Wyck
Mason, Thomas B. Costain, or Edward Rutherfurd. Maybe Michener would
appeal.

If she likes sf and fantasy, offer her Anne McCaffrey. Almost anything of
Poul Anderson is excellent.

I'll have to wait till Monday to suggest more--once again, I don't have
access to my at-home stuff.

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 10:05 AM

Does your granny like mysteries? There are dozens and dozens of "cozies,"
mostly in series, that you could suggest. Many library websites have pages
for these. Try googling the terms: "library" + "cozy" + "mystery" +
"booklists" OR "recommended reading" OR "suggested reading."

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 10:46 AM

Mary Johnston wrote a long string of historicals around the early 1900's; at
that age they're bound to be clean! ("To Have and to Hold" is a classic,
and "The Long Roll" and its sequel are two of the *best* Civil War books
I've ever read.) And how about "Gone With the Wind"?

You could certainly suggest some of the older "classic" authors--everyone
from Dickens and the Brontes to Kipling.

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 11:18 AM

Here's a thought I just had. Some homeschooling advocates suggest that
'schoolers should eschew (for their kids) all books published since 1970,
presumably because that was when kiddy books started addressing "adult
subjects" and talking about sex, drugs, abuse, etc., etc. Maybe you could
shuffle through your collection and pull out books dated before, say, 1960
(because the kiddy authors were probably emulating the ones who wrote for
adults, who in turn probably changed their style as a result of the Sexual
Revolution, the Vietnam War, and other '60's events). Of course there will
be some things, like "The Naked and the Dead," falling within that time span
that Granny won't want anything to do with, but it should still give you a
*lot* of selections. (This is assuming that yours is not one of those
merciless weeders!)

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 11:30 AM

>From: [removed]@aol.com
>Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>Subject: Re: 'Gentle' but not religious fiction?
>Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 01:31:46 EST
>
>How about Robin McKinley's Beauty, as well as The Door in the Hedge (4
>wonderful fairy tales, 2 re-do's, and 2 originals?
>

Here's a complete biblio of McKinley:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Robin_McKinley.htm

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 12:44 PM

>From: Spring Quick <[removed]@ccrls.org>
>Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>Subject: Re: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
>Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 12:19:31 -0800
>
>
>Cockrell, Marian. Mixed Blessings
>
>

Are you sure that's not "Mixed *Company*"? It's a novel about a
boardinghouse in the 1890's and the assorted types who dwell there.

Another great one by Cockrell (I just reread my copy) is "The Revolt of
Sarah Perkins": an "old-maid" New Englander travels to the Colorado
Territory to teach school and succeeds in turning the town upside down and
her entire life around.

Which reminds me that, although they aren't fiction, they *read* like it,
and Granny might enjoy John D. Fitzgerald's "Papa Married a Mormon" and
"Mamma's Boarding House."

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 2:16 PM

If she likes intrigue: Evelyn Anthony and Helen MacInnes.

FROM: Angela Guinther <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 12/11/04, 4:44 PM

I want to second the Alexander McCall Smith series.
Starting with No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, it is a
delightful read. My 90 year old mother does not want
things that are too long, or require too much from her
memory (no long historical fiction) and she is not
into the fantasies, or "silly" things. No.1 is a
solid, wonderful, gentle read that she loved. Times
Literary Supplement voted it one of the International
Books of the Year and the Millennium. The others in
the series are just as good.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

FROM: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 12/12/04, 2:56 PM

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 18:37:27 +0000, christine jeffords
<[removed]@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >Cockrell, Marian. Mixed Blessings
> >
> >
>
> Are you sure that's not "Mixed *Company*"? It's a novel about a
> boardinghouse in the 1890's and the assorted types who dwell there.
>

I looked into "Mixed Blessings" and found it has also been published
as "Mixed Company!" The other Cockerell book you've mentioned sounds
interesting, so I'll investigate that one also...
Christine

FROM: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 12/12/04, 4:03 PM

Yes, she likes romance, but wouldn't necessarily say that because 1)
she's a sensible Yankee of a certain generation, and 2) romance novels
today generally involve more explicit sex than she wants to read
about. You asked about mysteries too--I've tried those, with mixed
results, even the cozies, so I'm looking for other ideas. I think you
are right about older authors, though! Thanks for some specific names
to try. --Christine Eldred

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 15:23:56 +0000, christine jeffords
<[removed]@hotmail.com> wrote:
> You didn't mention whether she is into romance. If she is, you can
> definitely suggest Barbara Cartland (some 700 books!), Grace Livingston
> Hill, Kathleen Norris, and other older authors, as well as the "Gothics" we
> all remember from the '70's--Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and their ilk.
>
> There should be lots of historical fiction she would like. Try F. Van Wyck
> Mason, Thomas B. Costain, or Edward Rutherfurd. Maybe Michener would
> appeal.
>
> If she likes sf and fantasy, offer her Anne McCaffrey. Almost anything of
> Poul Anderson is excellent.
>
> I'll have to wait till Monday to suggest more--once again, I don't have
> access to my at-home stuff.
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>

FROM: "Sandy W" <[removed]@libraryconnection.info>
REC'D: 12/13/04, 10:37 AM

Hi Christine,
You might try the "Miss Julia" books by Ann B. Ross. Miss Julia is a
Southern lady with impeccable manners. I've only read one, but it was
amusing, not too long and definitely no sex - Miss Julia would never allow
that! She's very bossy, doesn't always get along with the local minister and
considers herself to be one of the town "movers and shakers".
Sandy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Eldred" <[removed]@gmail.com>
To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:26 AM
Subject: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?

> Can anyone suggest authors for an older female reader who dislikes
> depictions of sex, violence, and "strong language" but also doesn't
> care for overt religiosity and sentimentality? For instance, Jan
> Karon's Mitford series wouldn't work.
>
> Has anyone read Betty Neels' novels? I just discovered her stuff on
> Amazon and I'm wondering if that might fit the bill.
>
> Okay, I confess--the reader in question is my 92-year-old grandmother,
> who has become the hardest person I know to find books for! She likes
> a bit of romance, but nothing steamy. She likes a nice story, but
> nothing too sappy. She's more interested in mysticism than
> traditional religion. She doesn't keep up with contemporary pop
> culture at all (i.e. no TV!), so something that feels sort of
> traditional, even old-fashioned is good. Historical fiction is okay.
> Any ideas???
>
> Thanks!
>
> Christine Eldred
> MLS graduate student
> Burlington, Vermont
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>
>

FROM: "Katherine Stecher" <[removed]@rochester.lib.mn.us>
REC'D: 12/13/04, 12:14 PM

The books is titled "Mixed Company" *and* "Mixed Blessings." I have a hardcover of one and a paperback of the other - I'm not sure why the publishers felt the need to make the switch. ("The Revolt of Sarah Perkins" is one of my favorites!!!)

From: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2004 18:37:27 +0000

Are you sure that's not "Mixed *Company*"? It's a novel about a
boardinghouse in the 1890's and the assorted types who dwell there.

Another great one by Cockrell (I just reread my copy) is "The Revolt of
Sarah Perkins": an "old-maid" New Englander travels to the Colorado
Territory to teach school and succeeds in turning the town upside down and
her entire life around.

Which reminds me that, although they aren't fiction, they *read* like it,
and Granny might enjoy John D. Fitzgerald's "Papa Married a Mormon" and
"Mamma's Boarding House."

Katherine Stecher
Readers Services Division
(507) 285-8008
Rochester Public Library
101 Second St. SE
Rochester, MN 55904

FROM: Lynne Welch <[removed]@oplin.org>
REC'D: 12/13/04, 12:55 PM

Sorry, but I really must disagree with Binnie's recommendation of RING OF
FEAR. The girl was forced to assist at her own rape by this creepy old guy,
her father was murdered and there are a couple of graphic descriptions of
the pitchfork still moving up and down in his chest when she finds him, and
the sex scenes between Nialla and Rafe are quite explicit. Not to mention,
she is choked and otherwise assaulted by the bad guys before everything is
resolved.

Lynne Welch - Reference Librarian
Herrick Memorial Library - Wellington OH 44090 USA
tel. 440-647-2120 fax 440-647-2103
email: <[removed]@oplin.org>
website: <www.wellington.lib.oh.us>

At 01:34 AM 12/10/2004, you wrote:
>Anne McCaffrey's Ring of Fear (not too much sex) and her Mark of Merlin (a
>kind of gothic romance.)
>
>Binnie Syril Braunstein
>Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/13/04, 5:11 PM

OK, I looked through my files at home, and here are some suggestions:

Faith Baldwin
E. F. Benson
Maeve Binchy
Thyra Ferre Bjorn (a series about a Swedish-American family in the 19th C.)
Gwen Bristow (mostly historicals)
Pearl S. Buck (mostly China)
Elizabeth Cadell
Philippa Carr (long series of Brit historicals)
Agatha Christie
Catherine Cookson (*lots* of books)
Jane Duncan (the My Friends series)
Dorothy Eden
Paul Gallico
John Galsworthy
Catherine Gaskin
Rumer & Jon Godden, separately & together
Elizabeth Goudge
Mollie Hardwick
Georgette Heyer
Jane Aiken Hodge
Victoria Holt
Susan Howatch
Henry James
M. M. Kaye
Frances Parkinson Keyes (also historicals)
Norah Lofts
Emilie Loring
Barbara Michaels
Nancy Mitford
Kathleen Norris
Belva Plain
Eleanor H. Porter
Gene Stratton Porter
Eugenia Price
J. B. Priestley
Barbara Pym
Dana Fuller Ross
D. E. Stevenson
Booth Tarkington
Angela Thirkell (continuation of Trollope's Barsetshire series)
Agnes Sligh Turnbull
Helen Van Slyke
Jessamyn West
Edith Wharton
Phyllis A. Whitney
Harold Bell Wright

Ann Bridge (MacInnes-esque intrigue)
Traditional Brit mysteries like Allingham, Sayers, etc. (check
stopyourekillingme.com for more ideas)
Most historical mysteries

Historical fiction:
Margaret Campbell Barnes
R. D. Blackmore (Lorna Doone!)
Gillian Bradshaw
Bryher (yes, that's her only name)
Donald Barr Chidsey
Alfred Duggan
Dorothy Dunett
Walter D. Edmonds
Howard Fast
Inglis Fletcher (long series about Colonial Carolina)
Antonia Fraser
Janice Holt Giles (also wrote numerous books set among the hillfolk of
Appalachia)
Winston Graham (the Poldark Saga)
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (at least two series and a bunch of standalones)
Cecelia Holland
Anthony Hope (The Prisoner of Zenda!!)
Margaret Irwin (trilogy about young Elizabeth I, plus others)
Rosemary Hawley Jarman
Rosalind Laker
Hilda Lewis
John Masters
Vilhelm Moberg (Emigrants series about Swedes in America)
Bss. Orczy (the Scarlet Pimpernel series)
Edith Pargeter
Sharon Kay Penman
Jean Plaidy (dozens and dozens, including a very long series tracing Brit
royalty from William I through Victoria)
Jennifer Roberson (also try her sf--the Chronicles of the Cheysuli series is
very good)
Kenneth Roberts
Lucia St. Clair Robson
Edward Rutherfurd (Michener-esque)
Rafael Sabatini
Lawrence Schoonover
Shirley Seifert (also wrote about 70 doctors-in-love contemporary romances)
Samuel Shellabarger
Linda Lay Shuler
Frank G. Slaughter (also many contemporary medical novels)
Jane Smiley
Wilbur Smith
Irving Stone
Rosemary Sutcliff
Robert Lewis Taylor (esp. "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" and " A Roaring
in the Wind")
Sigrid Undset (the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy)
Mika Waltari
Jan Westcott
T. H. White

(If you would like title lists of any of these, contact me offlist; I can
send them as attachments.)

"Meet Me in St. Louis," by (I think) Anne Benson (yes, this is the one Judy
Garland's movie was based on!)
"Mamma's Bank Account," by Kathryn Forbes

And a book I've often recommended on this list: "Lonesome Traveler," by
Weldon Hill

Many of these were read and enjoyed by my mother, who didn't quite make it
to your granny's age but didn't care for graphic sex and violence either!

Does she have any favorite movies, old or new? Find out which were based on
books (many are) and get the "original versions"!

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/13/04, 5:17 PM

Just a thought: has she read Harry Potter? Many adults are just as "wild
about Harry" as the kids are!

Many biographies read almost like fiction; have you offered her any? David
McCullough is great.

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/13/04, 5:28 PM

>From: "Sandy W" <[removed]@libraryconnection.info>
>Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>Subject: Re: "Gentle" but not religious fiction?
>Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 11:15:14 -0500
>
>Hi Christine,
> You might try the "Miss Julia" books by Ann B. Ross.

And perhaps also Bailey White, such as "Mama Makes Up Her Mind."

FROM: Christine Eldred <[removed]@gmail.com>
REC'D: 1/22/05, 12:40 PM

Here at last is the compiled list of all the wonderful suggestions I
received for my query for "gentle" but not religious fiction. The
request was for books that do not have depictions of sex or violence,
or strong language but are also not overtly religious or sentimental.
The books on the list lean toward romance and historical fiction and
may have mystical elements.

"Gentle" But Not Religious Fiction

Aiken, Joan
Aldrich, Bess Streeter
Anthony, Evelyn intrigue
Austen, Jane classic literary fiction
Baldwin, Faith
Baumbich, Charlotte Dearest Dorothy series
Benson, EF the Lucia series
Berenson, Laurie mysteries
Binchy, Maeve
Bjorn, Thyra Papa's Wife
Boucher, Rita regency romance
Brent, Madeline Moonraker's Bride
Briskin, Jacqueline
Brown, Carrie Lamb in Love
Buck, Pearl S. classic literary fiction
Burchell, Mary older Harlequin novels
Cadell, Elizabeth
Caldwell, Taylor
Carr, Philippa British historical fiction
Cartland, Barbara romance
Caspary, Vera Laura
Chesney, Marion
Christie, Agatha mysteries
Cockrell, Marian Mixed Blessings (aka Mixed Company)
The Revolt of Sarah Perkins
Cook, Claire contemporary light romance
Costain, Thomas B. historical fiction
Cronin, AJ
Dallas, Sandra
Davidson, Diane Mott culinary mysteries
De la Roche, Mazo
Delderfield, R.F
Depree, Traci Can of Peas
Duncan, Jane the My Friends series
Eden, Dorothy gothic romance
Fforde, Katie British romance
Freedman, Benedict Mrs. Mike
Gallico, Paul
Galsworthy, John Forsyte saga
Garlock, Dorothy
Gaskin, Catherine romance
Gilman, Dorothy Mrs. Pollifax series
Thale's Folly
Godden, Rumer
Godden, Jon
Goodwin, Suzanne
Goudge, Elizabeth
Hardwick, Mollie
Heyer, Georgette
Hill, Grace Livingston (some readers may find her too religious, though)
Hodge, Jane Aiken regency and gothic romance
Holt, Victoria gothic romance
Howatch, Susan
Johnston, Mary To Have and To Hold
The Long Roll (both set during Civil War)
Kaye, MM historical fiction & mysteries
Keillor, Garrison
Keyes, Frances Parkinson historical fiction
Kirkpatrick, Jane historical series
Laker, Rosalind romantic historical novels
Letts, Billie
Liss, David The Coffee Trader
Lofts Norah
Loring, Emilie romances 1922-early 50s
Macomber, Debbie Cedar Cove series
MacInnes, Helen intrigue
Mason, F. Van Wyck historical fiction
McCaffrey, Anne Mark of Merlin
McKenzie, Nancy Prince of Dreams: A Tale of Tristan & Essylte
Grail Prince
Queen of Camelot
McKinley, Robin Beauty
The Door in the Hedge
Medlicott, Joan Ladies of Covington series
Mendelson, Cheryl Morningside Heights
Miles, Rosalind Tristan & Isolde series
Guenevere series
Miss Read English village life series
Montgomery, L.M.
Neels, Betty romances
Ogilvie, Elizabeth
Pearce, Mary E. English farm life
Peters, Elizabeth/.Barbara Michaels
Peters, Ellis romantic suspense titles
Brother Cadfael mysteries
Pilcher, Rosamunde British family sagas
Porter, Eleanor H.
Porter, Gene Stratton
Price, Eugenia historical romance set in U.S.
Purser, Ann village novels and mysteries
Pym, Barbara English writer
Ray, Jeanne contemporary light romance
Rinehart, Mary Roberts mysteries
Ross, Ann B. Miss Julia series
Ross, Dana Fuller U.S. historical fiction
Rutherford, Edward historical fiction
Seton, Anya
Smith, Alexander McCall No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series
Smith, Madeline Lemon Jelly Cake
Sparks, Nicholas
Spencer, LaVyrle
Stevenson, D.E.
Stewart, Mary Moonspinners
Airs Above Ground
Summers, Essie New Zealand romances
Tarr, Judith The Dagger and the Cross
Hound and Falcon series
Thane, Elswyth Williamsburg Series
Thirkell Angela Barsetshire series
Trigani, Adriana
Walker, Lucy Australian settings
West, Jessamyn
Whitney, Phyllis The Fire & the Gold
Wilder, Effie Over the Hill series
Williams, Jeanne historical/romance
Willett, Marcia similar to Pilcher
Wodehouse, PG
Wolf, Joan regency romance

Also, early Harlequin and Silhouette romances

Christine Eldred
MLS Student
Burlington, VT
......................................................................
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