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By Chel Avery, Goshen MM, Philadelphia YM
The following three books of fiction and one memoir are not for the student or seeker who desires a definitive and comprehensive introduction to Quakerism. Rather, they offer an indirect exposure to Friends, which is spiritually if not factually authentic, in the context of light, enjoyable reading.
I Take Thee Serenity (Daisy Newman, Houghton Mifflin, 1975)
Comments: This novel is partly a love story, partly a growing up story. A young, confused woman flees to her elderly relatives while she struggles with hard decisions about love and marriage. Her growth unfolds against the backdrop of her relatives' Quaker faith. Written in the 1970s, and somewhat particular to that time period.
Downright Dencey (Caroline Snedeker, Bethlehem, 1927)
Comments: For younger readers as well as adults. This story of a girl's growing up and discovering her own truths is set in early 19th century Nantucket, a Quaker seafaring community. It depicts both the spiritual strengths and shortcomings of Friends' culture as Dencey comes into her own over a period of years.
The Peaceable Kingdom (Jan de Hartog, Fawcett Books, 1974) – Out of print
Comments: Jan de Hartog's compelling novel about the early years of Quakerism should NOT be read as history! Imagine it instead as a retelling of those years as modern Friends might live them ourselves, if we were shot backwards in time. If you can imagine that George Fox, Margaret Fell, Elizabeth Fry, and the settlers of Pennsylvania are very much like the people you would meet in worship today, in say Madison, Wisconsin, then this novel provides an exciting, rich depiction of Friends' values, dreams, and struggles.
A Quaker Book of Wisdom (Robert Lawrence Smith, HarperCollins, 1999)
Comments: I have come to like this little memoir better over time. The author, a modern Friend who grew up in a New Jersey Friends community, reflects on his life, its memories, and turning points. It is a highly subjective and personal account that, for me, captures the character of Friends.
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