The Friendly Persuasion

by Jessamyn West

Overview

A quintessential American heroine, Eliza Birdwell is a wonderful blend of would-be austerity, practicality, and gentle humor when it comes to keeping her faith and caring for her family and community. Her husband, Jess, shares Eliza's love of people and peaceful ways but, unlike Eliza, also displays a fondness for a fast horse and a lively tune. With their children, they must negotiate their way through a world that constantly confronts them-sometimes with candor, sometimes with violence-and tests the strength of their beliefs. Whether it's a gift parcel arriving on their doorstep or Confederate soldiers approaching their land, the Birdwells embrace life with emotion, conviction, and a love for one another that seems to conquer all.
The Friendly Persuasion has charmed generations of readers as one of our classic tales of the American Midwest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780156029094
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/08/2003
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	228
Sales rank:	399,807
Product dimensions:	5.31(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	910L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 Years

About the Author

Jessamyn West (1902-1984) was born in Indiana to Quaker parents and lived most of her life in California. Her work has appeared in Harper's, Mademoiselle, Kenyon Review, the New Yorker, and Redbook, among others. Her other books include The State of Stony Lonesome, Massacre at Fall Creek, and The Collected Stories of Jessamyn West.

Editorial Reviews

PRAISE FOR JESSAMYN WEST AND THE FRIENDLY PERSUASION
"You will laugh out loud and cry . . . A testament . . . to that faith in humankind that has made the American dream."-The Philadelphia Inquirer

"West writes gracefully, occasionally poetically, in a voice both innocent and brave."-The Washington Post

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From the Publisher