I think what made me fall in love with history is when I found out that it’s not about names and dates, but rather people, places and events. I fell in love with history, and have learned a lot, through historical fiction. When you can imagine the story being told, unfolding on the streets that you are already familiar with, you will remember the history that happened there! Below are 3 really good, gripping historical fiction books that happened in Pittsburgh!
Consecrated Dust
What is better than a book that opens with a Christmas sleigh ride through the snow at the beginning of the Victorian era? Clara is young, beautiful, and being rushed to marry by her mother, as a daughter of well bred parents should be. Her mother doesn’t approve of Clara’s longtime friendship with Annie, daughter of an Irish immigrant family that has started working at the Arsenal in Lawrenceville. Clara can’t stand the thought of marrying Edgar; the wealthy businessman and suitor her parents have picked out for her. Clara likes the thought of marrying James- though not wealthy but definitely a handsome suitor who is smitten with Clara. Their relationship will have to withstand a war, and a battle against her parents as Clara faces pressure to marry Edgar. Pressure only grows for Clara as her father, a doctor for the Union in the war, is captured and money becomes very tight for the family- Clara will have to make a decision as to how best to help her family.
In the center of day to day life in Lawrenceville is the arsenal- in full production for the war effort. Then one devastating day there is an explosion and life will be forever altered for all of the characters in the book; and not everyone will make it out of the war alive.
As soon as I opened Consecrated dust I found myself being pulled into a bygone world. The stage is set, we see a world of both the elite, and working class, two different worlds- both affected by the start of the civil war. This book depicts not only what life was like on the battle front but also how life changed on the homefront too. We hear about World War One and how life changed on the home front but we don’t hear much about what life was like, especially in the cities, during the civil war. As someone who is familiar with Pittsburgh I loved hearing about how the city looked at the time of the civil war. I will never walk down the streets of Lawrenceville again without thinking about the Arsenal and the explosion that happened there over 150 years ago.
Carnegie’s Maid
Written by a Pittsburgher, this is the untold story of a woman who may have influenced one of the most influential men of the late 1800s. Little is known about Clara Kelley, the Irish maid who came to America and by a twist of fate ends up gaining employment in the Carnegie household. The only problem is the Carnegie’s don’t know who Clara really is- she is not the maid they thought they were hiring. Having to work doubly hard to keep her job while maintaining the false facade that she is who they think she is, she starts to build a friendship with Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie sees himself in Clara’s sharp intellect and business acumen. It is she that reminds him of where he came from, and it just might be she that inspires him to eventually give away all of his millions.
The Secrets of Flight
Contrasting from the present day to the 1940’s this story is told by alternating perspectives of a young girl in present day Pittsburgh, to a now old woman who was one of the first female pilots during World War Two who stepped up to serve her country in the war effort. You will not get bored reading this book. The author does a great job of spinning enough threads throughout the book that you are continually intrigued as to what will happen next but not so many threads that you can’t keep track of where the story is heading.
Most people are not aware of the female pilot program instituted during World War Two. We are not taught about how the women in this program had to learn to navigate not only the stresses of learning how to pilot a plane but also how they had to survive and navigate sabotage from male pilots who were not on board with this program. Neither are we really familiar with the racism here in the US against Jews at this same time. We hear about how there was much racism against Germans and Japanese people in the states at this time but sadly the Jews were not always welcome either. This book brings to light often buried tensions that were also at play during World War Two.
Not only were they books well researched historical fiction, they were also really good stories. I didn’t want to pull them down and I found myself getting caught up in the characters’ lives. If you want to learn more about history but don’t want to feel like you are learning try one of these books and get lost in their pages!
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I hate it when I pick up a book that I think I’m reading for pure edification and end up coming away with a lot to think about and highly convicted. I had read parts of this book in high school, I remembered it being thought provoking and it had been on my reading list for a while.
Randy hits a lot of different points in this book; all of them good, and most not talked about nearly enough in the Christian community. He covers all the things; how money is talked about more than nearly any other topic in the Bible, how our thinking about money in today’s day and age is flawed, often even in our churches, the Bible’s views on debt, and how we should use our money to help others.
I would hesitate to describe myself as materialistic. I certainly don’t want to think that money is one of the most important things to me. But I do place a lot of feelings of security in money. Money is a buffer between me and the unexpected large medical bill. Money is the freedom to do things- anything. And money secures a roof over my head, and that in turn brings me feelings of safety and comfort. Towards the end of the book Randy makes a statement about money that I found terribly convicting. He said that in our American culture we are taught to save, to build a safety net with our money, and once a lot of us start with this we keep going. He says that while that is wise, where is the point that we stop relying on God to provide for our needs, and instead rely on our safety net that we have built. I know this is something I have done, and while I do still think that it is wise that we have an emergency fund, I also think that we really do need to ponder and pray over where our security lies.
An Overarching point that Randy makes throughout the book is that there is soo much need in this world. And largely as Americans, even those living in what we call poverty, we have so much. Did God bless us with all this just for us to stay very comfortable? Randy makes the case that perhaps we have been blessed largely so that we can bless others just as much. He states several times that he believes that we should pick a certain amount of money to live on, it needn’t be super small but neither should it be a lavish amount, but rather somewhere in between, and then commit to live at that amount from then on. We should still work to maximize our incomes and make as much money as we have the skill to do so, but all money over that set amount should go to charities, non profits, and our churches. Randy uses his own life as an example and it is amazing to see how God has blessed and provided. I don’t know how I feel about this. I can certainly appreciate Randy’s view, but it does seem a little extreme. However much of Christianity has been seen as extreme throughout the history of the Church and I therefore believe that we should deeply ponder what our relationship is with money, and how it is impacting our relationship with God.
I think this is valuable reading for any Christian definitely, but also for anyone who wants to take a challenging look at their relationship with money. Do we have a healthy perspective on money and material things? How much time do we spend thinking about money and the things and own and want to own versus other much more important things- like Eternity? At the end of our lives are we going to wish that we had held onto more of our money, or that we had used it to bless others and bring glory to God every time we had the chance?
I have been a long time lover of historical fiction. And I don’t mean just any historical fiction- I mean historical fiction that doesn’t feel like a history lesson! To me great historical fiction reads like another good book- with page turning suspense. They should be just as gripping, the character just as developed- just set in a different time period. Below are a few of my favorites.
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The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler
This is probably my most favorite book of the past several years- and not just because it’s set in my home city of Pittsburgh. The story alternates between modern day and the 1940s, narrated alternately by an older woman who was a lady pilot in world war 2, and between a young girl of modern day. This book is not only an exciting story with surprises and plot twists, but also one that educates about the brave women who stepped up to become pilots during world war 2 and the difficulties and sometimes sabotage that they faced. If you’re not a historical fiction enthusiast and need a book that bridges between modern day and recent history- this is the book for you!
Lovely War by Julie Berry
This tale is about 4 young people and their experiences during the First World War. What I really loved about this book is that the author chose to have the main characters stories told by several of the Greek Gods. Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, is trying to pull together the main characters. Ares, the god of War, just wants to tell about the battle scenes, and then Hades… he narrates the death scenes, so we know someone is dying in the chapter, but we don’t know who. I really enjoyed knowing the topic was based off of which god was telling the story, but then I kept guessing as to who the chapter was going to be about. I thought this was a fresh way to tell a story about WW1, and one that had kept my attention the whole way through!
Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
This story will keep you page turning as you read about the pivotal and bloodiest battle of the Civil War. This is the story of the cousins during the civil war- a northern girl and a southerner. Two different points of view are told as one war and one battle change their lives, torn apart by war and then brought together by it, what will remain of their once close friendship? As someone who grew up visiting the modern day town of Gettysburg I really appreciated the details depicted within this story as the events of the Gettysburg battle unfolds.
Time Enough for Drums by Ann Rinaldi
This is an older book by my all time favorite author Ann Rinaldi. This book is technically classified as young adult but don’t let that stop you! Is a well done story exploring the tensions and currents during the early days of the American revolution. Jem is wild and not content to be stuck at home in a classroom, especially with her tutor John who is a tory- someone who supports England and has the opposite beliefs of Jen and her family. That is until she gets the feeling that he may not be a Tory…And that she may have growing feelings towards him….
The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
I’m a goner when it comes to anything about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. There is just something about an event that is still shrouded in mystery over 300 years later. If you aren’t familiar with the topic of the Salem Witch trial I suggest you pick up this book and educate yourself! The Salem Witch trials are about the winter of 1691/1692 when a group of young women, several of whom were still young girls, started accusing people in their town of watch craft- an offense punishable by death! 19 people were put to death by the accusations of these girls. This book drifts from modern day about a girl hired to transcribe a journal of one of the accused, and 1692 where we hear the story of one of the accused women, the owner of the aforementioned journal being transcribed.
What kind of person reads a book about a pandemic in the middle of a pandemic? Me… There was definitely something comforting about picking up this book about the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic during our current time, and while I’m not sure that I would have been able to read this in the beginning of March of this year, (2020), I thought it gave a great perspective to our current time.
Bright as Heaven opens as the fictional Bright family leave their family farm to move to Philadelphia for Mr Bright to take over his uncle’s mortuary business. They are mourning the loss of Henry, the youngest child who didn’t even live to see his first birthday. The story is told through alternating points of view of each of the women in the family; there is Pauline- Mamma, Evie the eldest, Maggie the middle child, and Willa the youngest. They each come to Philadelphia fighting their own inner battles but soon enough a whole new battle comes crashing into their lives.
They are just beginning to settle into life in the big, busy city when seemingly out of nowhere the Spanish Flu springs up, and instantly their residence which is also the mortuary business is overrun with the dead. We think of the years of 1918 and 1919 and we think of World War One, totally forgetting about this global crisis that occurred in the midst of the war. As the flu reaches its deadly peak, Mamma and Maggie are out tending to the ill when Maggie hears a baby crying. She follows the crying and comes to a dilapidated house. Inside she finds his mother is dead as she picks up the baby, Maggie also notices a girl, his sister, nearly motionless on a couch. Before Maggie’s eyes the sister dies, or at least Maggie thinks that she does… This image will haunt Maggie continuously for years to come in ways she couldn’t imagine.
Not only does Susan Meissener weave together a gripping story with; as I like to say, no boring parts, she also sheds light on an often forgotten chapter of history. The Spanish Flu of 1918 was a global event that took more lives than World War One did. Imagine, not just a world war, but in addition a flu that couldn’t be cured or treated effectively raging at the same time. This book really gave me perspective on our current times. This is not the first time our world has seen tragedy and chaos, nor will it be the last. We must remember that we are not defined by the times that we live in, but rather how we react to our current circumstances. Since the world has been in existence there have been cataclysmic events, but the world has kept on turning. I would like to challenge you to pick up this book and after you finish, ask yourself- do we really have it as badly as today as we think we do? Will we rise to the challenge of our times as the Bright Family does?
Charles and Emma was a book about Charles Darwin and his wife Emma, specifically about how her faith, and his lack of faith shaped their marriage. After Charles returned from his famous voyage on the Beagle, he had an important question to ponder- to marry or not to marry. At the age of 28, he was definitely of marrying age and, as his father reminded him, he wasn’t getting any younger.
Charles, taking the scientific approach, observed his married friends and then proceeded to make a pro/con list of the advantages and disadvantages of getting married. Getting married would make it harder to travel, it would mean less time, and less money, to devote to his pursuit of science. Lastly but certainly not least there was also the matter that after his voyage around the world, Charles had come to doubt that God had created each individual species. Rather Charels was working on a theory that, counter to the mainstream thoughts of the day, would prove that God had made a creature and then the creature would evolve based off of its need to survive and adapt accordingly.
Taking God out of the creation story was not a popular view. To make things worse, when he really got honest with himself, Charles didn’t believe that God interfered with anything on earth after He started the world. Charles wasn’t even sure he believed if there was a God- how could a good God let all of the horrible things that happen in this world occur?
After much pondering Charles went to talk with his father, a man who didn’t really believe in God, and wouldn’t be shocked by Charles’ thoughts and beliefs. Charles talked over with his father how his counter culture beliefs would affect his marriage. Should he just avoid the institution all together? His father put his worries to rest but he had one little piece of advice- don’t tell the lucky woman about his lack of belief.
Charles decided to move forward with plans to marry. And he found his girl! A smart woman, a cousin of his.(This was quite normal and often even preferred among the higher class during this time period.) He asked the question and she said yes. There was just one problem- Emma was a devout believer. They both entered the institution of marriage knowing that they could well differ for the rest of their lives on one core belief. The rest of the book talks about their married life, how Charles career progressed, and how they juggled life, split as they were, yet still very much in love.
I found this book fascinating. I didn’t know much at all about Charles Darwin and had always supposed him to be a strict atheist; in fact he was more of an agnostic than an atheist. Emma held fast to her Christian beliefs. This book did a good job of showing how in day to day life compromise can be found, happiness had, but ultimately tension does arise from different belief structures when trouble comes. I enjoyed learning more about Charles and Emma from a strictly academic point of view, but I also think this would be an excellent book to recommend to high school students and young, unmarried adults. No matter how much you love the person to which you plan to marry, be very cautious if they don’t hold the same core values as you. Regardless of what your beliefs are, if they are vastly different from the person you marry, it will create strife and tension within the marriage and this is why the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 6;14, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?” How united can we be in a marriage if we don’t share what is closest to our hearts?
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I have always wanted a well done home. One that feels cozy and inviting, that is well kept and fun to live in! I want this not only so that people feel welcomed and comfortable in my home- I want them to come over and feel welcomed by the wreath on the door, to be able to settle in on the couch with the pillows, and to have a throw blanket handy if they start getting chilly. I want to be intentional in my decor to have a home that is not only styled to my tastes, but also one that is liveable. While there is still so much out there that I can learn, and so many ways that I can grow in my decorating skills, I do believe that I have come along way from where I started. One of the tools that have helped me along the way are decorating books- I love them! Below I have listed three of my favorite decorating books, each one focuses on different elements of creating a well planned home, that I feel have given me the most tangible tools for laying the groundwork to a well done home.
Quick reminder that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you- it’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
HomeBody by Joanna Gaines
If you are into decorating then you have undoubtedly heard of the Gaines family and Joann’s signature farmhouse style. However, even if you aren’t a farmhouse style fan I would still urge you to pick up this book! This is a great book for a foundational look at building your home decor. Johanna walks you through a variety of different homes room by room, highlighting the functionality of each one. What is the purpose of your entry way and what elements do you need to add for it to function effectively? Do you need a table with a tray for keys? A runner or welcome mat? What about a light as soon as you step inside the door? Joanna walks you through several different examples discusses each, and then includes a troubleshooting guide at the end of each section. At the end of the book she includes a design template so that you can sketch out your room, and make a plan for how you will tackle decorating it. While a lot of the houses featured in this book have a farmhouse or rustic feel I don’t think the tools thought in it are limited to a a specific style. Homebody is great guideline of what things to consider and other helpful information that will help simplify the process of decorating your home.
Domino- Your Guide to a Stylish Home by Jessica Romm Perez and Shani Silver
This is such a fun book! The pictures are beautiful and there are a variety of different styles showcased in this book focusing mainly on, Glam, Eclectic, and a Midcentury Modern feel- but you can find examples of just about every type of style in this book. The book starts by helping you to identify your own style and then moves to different aspects of your home tackling decorating by topic; tables, lighting, etc., rather than by room or style. This book help you to identify what kind of decor you like and then shows you how to incorporate elements of that style into the decor you already have. Every chapter ends with a short interview with someone in the decorating/styling community sharing tips that they’ve learned along the way, in their respective area of expertise. I found this book very helpful as a way to up your decorating game after you have the foundational pieces of your decor selected, as a tool to help you transition from one decor style to another, or just as a guideline for incorporating elements of a new style!
This book isn’t as much about starting to build your decor from ground zero as it is about how to style and work with what you already own. In the beginning of the book, Emily includes a quiz on how to identify your personal style and taste, shopping tips and then she launches into the huge difference tiny styling tweaks can make in your decor! She covers all basics like making sure your room has good flow, making sure that you aren’t over decorating part of a room and neglecting another part, and how to tell if your decor is competing with itself. She also throws in fun sections like how to style a sofa in 4 different ways based of your preferences. A lot of the styles featured are not quite my style- many of the photos featured feel very mid century modern/eclectic, but that didn’t stop me from getting a TON out of this book. What I also loved about this book it that unlike so many of the decor books out there that make you feel like you need to run out and buy new things, this book emphasizes on working with what you already have, and that is where true decorating skill is learned.
