Showing results by author "Gene Stratton-Porter" in All Categories

Michael O'Halloran is the charming Gene Stratton-Porter novel of an orphaned newspaper seller who asks nothing of the world except to "be square". The book presents a vivid description of American life in 1914 and, though the characters suffer many hardships, the overall tone is so upbeat that it's easy to see why this book outsold Pollyanna in 1916. Stratton-Porter's skills as a naturalist make the country scenes especially vibrant. Her ear for dialogue is unsurpassed, demonstrating to the listener that, if life in America wasn't like this, it should have been.

Freckles is the only name he has ever known. His right hand is missing at the wrist, and he is haunted by not knowing how it happened. Raised since infancy in a Chicago orphanage, he speaks with a slight Irish accent and sings with a beautiful voice. Now, exhausted after many days of walking, he applies for a job with the Grand Rapids Lumber Company, guarding timber in the Limberlost Swamp from timber thieves. His Swamp Angel declares her love for him and promises that she will find his parents and prove that Freckles comes from "a race of men that have been gentlemen for ages."

A Girl of the Limberlost, a novel by American writer and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter. It is considered a classic of Indiana literature. It is the sequel to her earlier novel Freckles. Patricia Raub (Senior Lecturer of American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston) notes that Stratton-Porter was "one of the most popular woman novelists of the era, who was known for her nature books and her editorials on McCall's 'Gene Stratton-Porter Page' as well as for her novels.

"Laddie" is Gene Stratton-Porter’s most autobiographical novel, and is titled after her brother, who drowned as a teenager. It is the story of Pamela Pryor and Laddie Stranton. Whilst she is rich, Laddie is but a poor farm boy. Her father opposes the match, and Pamela tries her best to change his mind.

Gene Stratton-Porter was a naturalist and fierce conservationist as well as an author, and one of the areas she held dearest was the Limberlost swamp. Indeed, she spent her income and life endeavouring to protect it.

This is the story of plucky, optimistic newsboy Michael O’Halloran. Michael was orphaned at a young age and asks nothing of the world but to "Be Square!" In this a warm and joyous story, he makes life sunnier for those around him, bringing joy to all who know him, and to readers everywhere.

Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924) was an early naturalist and nature photographer who wrote several best-selling novels. Her novel, Laddie: A True Blue Story (1913), includes autobiographical elements that corresponded to her early life. The story is told by Little Sister, the 12th child of a large family, while the character of the title is based on the author’s older brother, who has a strong connection to the land. The narrative has a country ambiance with lovely descriptions of nature.

"The Song of the Cardinal" by Gene Stratton-Porter is the story of a big male Cardinal bird in the Wabash Valley, Indiana. Living in a tree near the home of a farmer and his wife, the bird sings with passion and joie de vivre to attract a mate, which he finds, and a charming romance develops. Unfolding at a leisurely pace, the story portrays the varied natural settings of the region in a most engaging way. The theme of nature and mankind’s responsibility to care for it, is present throughout the narrative.

A Girl of the Limberlost, a novel by the writer and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter, was published in 1909 as the sequel to her earlier novel Freckles. The tale unfolds in and around the Limberlost Swamp of north-eastern Indiana and in the nearby town of Onabasha. The main character, Elnora Comstock, lives with her widowed mother, Katharine Comstock, on the edge of the wetlands. The embittered Katharine blames her daughter for the death of her husband, who was swallowed by quicksand.