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A Doorway to the Past

Every Wednesday I share a picture for Wordless Wednesday–but it’s not any old picture. It’s always an old black and white of my family. Black and white pictures intrigue me. I love looking at every detail and wondering about the people and their lives.

This weekend, my husband, daughter and I went to a little arts & craft show near us. We stopped at a booth full of old black and white photos. The owner inherited thousands of glass plate negatives from a family member, he reprints them and also restores them. These negatives were pictures taken between 1880-1925! I could have stared at those photos all day! They were stunning–you rarely see pictures from that time, but to see the creative portraits and the incredible candids, it was just like opening a big door to the past!

We ended up buying two prints. One is of an old cotton mill (or some kind of barn with a bunch of guys and their wagons of cotton) and this is the second one…

Can you see what it is? It’s a baptism! Look at that! The pastor is in the suit and has his hand raised as he dunks the people all around him. Look at the ladies’ hats, the horse and carriage in the background and just the sheer amounts of people! I got tears in my eyes when I first saw it!

I know, you think I’m giving this away, don’t you? Heck, no. I couldn’t part with it. I just wanted to share it because just like this picture is an amazing doorway into the past, I’ve got a fantastic book that does the same.

Multnomah asked me to review this book and I jumped at the chance because it’s by Jane Kirkpatrick. I read her Kinship & Courage series and just loved it. It’s historical fiction but the kind of historical fiction that actually transports you back. Not just a random romance or adventure packaged in a skirt and bonnet. It’s real history with real research.

Ms. Kirkpatrick’s new book is called A Mending at the Edge and is book 3 in the Change & Cherish series. It’s the continuing story of Emma Wagner Giesy. She is a part of a religious community in the 1850’s that scouts out a new land in Oregon Territory. This community’s main tenet is the shared purse. Everyone works to better the community. And for an independent mind like Emma–this is a hard value to embrace.

The first book chronicles Emma’s journey to the new land, the second book, the life the they try to make there. And the third, the most poignant, I think, is the story of Emma coming to grips with her independence and inter-dependence on others and God.

The best part about this whole series is that it’s all based on a real live person! Emma Wanger Giesy was a real woman! Ms. Kirkpatrick has done extensive research into her life and her community. She even interviewed Emma’s decedents.

As an independent woman myself, I identified with Emma’s struggle to submit, to serve and to love others while being her own person. This is one of the best books I’ve read in awhile–rich with detail and full of dynamic characters. It’s stuck with me and I can’t wait to re-read it!

So, after all that blathering, I am indeed giving away TWO copies of Book 3: Mending at the Edge by Jane Kirkpatrick. (However, I HIGHLY recommend you read book 1&2 first!)

Just leave me a comment about anything you want–well, within reason, of course. I’ll pick a winner (who provides a valid email address) on the last day of this big bloggy giveaway and announce it here!

(oh, and guess what?! My fellow preggo blogger, bee from will blog for shoes and I are going to be hosting our first swap. A baby swap! That’s right, you can swap your own baby for another one! KIDDING. Actually, we’ll be swapping some fun baby stuff. So if you’re preggo, a new mama, or just have a special infant in your life, we’d love to swap with you. Click here for all the details. Sign up is going on now!)

Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing your review of this series. I have never heard of it before. It does sound interesting and I am going to swing by my library and see if I can find the books. Thanks!!! And have a beautiful day!

  2. I think I mentioned I worked at the historical society for a year in the basement when I was 18. My job was to catalog all the old photos. I really enjoyed my time in that room with all those pictures, it was amazing!
    That picture is very cool. Love it.

  4. Wow! That picture is amazing!! I want it so bad. 🙂 Can’t you just give it away…to me? I’d love ya forevah. HA!

  5. You did good with the first two books I won, so I KNOW I would love this one as well! lol

    And I love that pitcture. You always have the neatest pictures on your blog!

  7. Ohhhh I love old photos!!! We get them in donations all the time. I never could understand why someone would donate photos that are obviously family oriented. I think the oldest photos we have are from the 1840s. None of the people smiled in those old photos because their teeth were so bad. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  9. I’ve read the Kinship & Courage series too and enjoyed them. I liked how Kirkpatrick used real lives as inspiration and put them into her books. I’d love to win, so make sure to pull my name out of the hat!!! 🙂

  16. I love reading, particularly Christian Fiction; yet I’ve never read this author. I’d like a chance at winning this giveaway.

  17. Well, phooey. I had a 9-year-old boy I was ready to swap on the spot, and then you tell me it’s not that kinda swap. Don’t tease mothers of annoying, pre-pubescent (or however you spell it) boys like that. It’s just not right. 🙂

  18. I agree, Jane is a wonderful historical fiction writer. I have heard and read many good things about this series of books. Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi

  21. Thanks for the chance to win this giveaway! I am a book-a-holic and am always looking for new books to read. This sounds like a great book as do the 1st and 2nd.

  25. I didn’t think you would be aprting with that picture after reading how much you liked it!

    I would love that book-it’s getting to be summer and I need some more reading.

  26. I really like Jane Kirkpatrick and would like to read this one too. Thanks for entering me in your contest.

  29. I would love to add this book to my library!

    dbstout[at]juno[dot]com

    Hey, don’t forget my giveaways!

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  32. This looks like a terrific series. If I win, I’ll definitely have to pick up books 1&2 first. My daughter would enjoy this, too and I love that it is set in Oregon and based on a real person. 🙂

  33. I am always looking for some good Christian Fiction! My church is just starting a library and I donate my books after reading them.

  34. This sounds like a great series! I love historical fiction! I’ll take it overseas with me when my home leave is over in July.

  35. Always looking for good reads and I love history and the fact that it is based on real woman makes it a perfect read for me. Thanks for the great review.

  36. I love Jane Kirkpatricks books. I recently read the second one, but missed the first. I need to go back and read it, and would love to read this one as well. Have you read any of her others?

  39. That is the *coolest* picture ever! I love old pictures too, that’s what I always buy at flea markets & garage sales. I just can’t stand to see them laying there in a box unloved.

    So glad you stopped by my blog!

    Melissa~

  43. This book sounds wonderful! I love to read, and this looks like a book I would enjoy. Thanks so much! 🙂

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