Gene Stratton-Porter
Beloved American author Gene Stratton-Porter was one of the first influential female figures to raise awareness about the importance of conservation. Like many of her novels, At the Foot of the Rainbow takes place in a beautiful outdoor setting against which a complex human drama unfolds. Will this strange love triangle come to a happy conclusion, or will it implode in tragedy?
At the beginning of Gene Stratton-Porter's thoroughly uplifting novel Michael O'Halloran, the protagonist is a scrappy 10-year-old orphan who must literally fight every day to ensure his own survival. It is only when he stumbles across a little girl facing circumstances even more dire than his own that he begins to make plans for a new life for himself. Will his grandiose vision become reality, or will Michael O'Halloran succumb to the
...Two sisters find themselves in unimaginably trying circumstances: left as orphans with no one else to turn to, the girls struggle to make it on their meager income. When their already-tenuous existence is imperiled even further by unforeseen circumstances, the two begin a journey of discovery that leads them to truths about themselves—and their legacy. If you loved Freckles, Michael O'Halloran, and Gene Stratton-Porter's other
...Is it possible for two people who have grown up in completely different worlds to bridge the circumstances that divide them and create something better than either of them could ever have imagined? That's what the couple at the center of the dazzlingly romantic novel Laddie manage to pull off. A life-changing read, this is a novel whose lessons will stick with you long after you've finished the last page.
Many of the protagonists of Gene Stratton-Porter's beloved novels are spunky young women. In The Harvester, the acclaimed author takes on a slightly different subject: a shy, solitary, nature-loving young man who is dedicated to living life on his own terms. Will he ever be able to find a worthy partner who is willing to share his dream? Read The Harvester to find out.
7) Freckles
Indefatigable orphan Freckles faces some fairly steep obstacles: in addition to having no family, no name, and no knowledge of his own history, the young man has also lived his whole life without a right hand. Will his scrappy attitude and can-do spirit allow him to overcome these challenges and find love, material success and happiness?
If you loved Gene Stratton-Porter's A Girl of the Limberlost, be sure to add her later novel A Daughter of the Land to your reading list. The family that serves as the focus of the novel isn't perfect, but they manage to fix their foibles and come together to make something beautiful and lasting. It's an engaging read for anyone who's ever fantasized about leaving city life behind and living off the land.