In this collection of books from Grace Livingston Hill one encounters a sister trying to reform a wayward brother in Because of Stephen. A young socialite decides to give kindness a try because of a handsome young minister in Lone Point and The Story of a Whim lets us look into the lives of a lonely bachelor and a group of girls out to civilize him. An Interrupted Night follows Marguerite as she must choose from a life without love to life with a married man.

Grace Livingston Hill has done it again. In this collection of stories one encounters a determined group of young heroes and heroines. In one story a egocentric and chauvenistic man seeks to trick the young heroine into running away with him but a special mentor helps the young girl discover his secret life. A sister tries to help reform her brother and finds her own values and ideals through their trials together. Another story deals with the story, Lone Point, where one sister finds her selfish attitude and beliefs changing thanks to the friendship of a young minister as her family vacations in a remote seaside resort. The final story in this collection involves a group of girls who befriend a stranger whom they believe is a girl like them. It turns out that the stranger is a young man who falls in love with one of the girls and must discover how he can win her heart.

I think every Christian girl should read this book. It convicted me so much. I could really relate to Ester and everything she was going through. Alden gives an interesting story along with a powerful message. It shows how believers need to wake up and live lives burning with a passion for souls and Christ. A must-read.

This book was very inspiring. It challenged your personal committment to Christ and being a true witness for Him. In this day and age it is refreshing to find books that still reflect Christian values and examples. What made this book, and many others in this collection,better still is that my children enjoy them. Much better that they read these caliber of books than the stuff you find on most bookshelves for pre-teen and teens!

Collection 5 contains four stories. I consider this the best of the Collections I have read so far, and I've read most of them.

The Enchanted Barn by GHL is a story of an oldest daughter, Shirley Hollister, who finds herself supporting her ill mother and younger brothers and sisters after her father's death. She works as a poorly paid stenographer, and learns that they must vacate their tiny dark house in the city. She uses her last dime to ride a trolley into the country to find a home, and discovers a beautiful old stone barn in an idyllic setting, with a stream, fresh air, trees, and sunshine. The handsome young wealthy owner, Sidney Graham, agrees to rent it to her -- and then proceeds with some modifications. When the family moves to the country, the mother starts to recover and the children grow stronger. Young Shirley is asked to the city to work with some important governmental papers, and is kidnapped by evil men. Sidney Graham sets out to find her -- and you will have to read the story yourself to learn the ending. The story is pure fun, especially the part about fixing up the barn, and one of the best GHL has written.

The Love Gift by GHL is a story of young milliner living in a cheap boardinghouse, who can make beautiful hats. And of a poor young minister who goes in search of a respectable hat for his older mother. The two become friends after the beautiful poor young milliner sells him a beautiful hat for a very low price, and the minister shows her about Jesus. Do they fall in love? Read the story yourself to find out.

Miranda, by GHL is part of a sequence of stories that began with the book "Marcia Schuyler." It takes the story of Miranda Griscom and her own secret love, young Allan Whitney. Years ago, Allan had been wrongly accused of a crime and had fled out west, with only Miranda believing firmly in his innocence, and helping him to flee. When he returns to town years later after cleared of wrong-doing, will he remember his long-time faithful friend?

Agatha's Unknown Way is a story by Isabella Alden. Young Agatha Hunter grew up in India, and returns to the states to stay with her Aunt & Uncle for health reasons. While in the states, she attends a city missionary meeting, hoping to be inspired and encouraged and to be able to encourage her parents who are still in India. When she discovers only apathy, she is pushed beyond her usual shyness to help change things. A chance encounter and a mistaken identity change not only her life, but the lives of those around her.

Collection #6 includes three stories by Grace Livingston Hill: The Best Man, The Big Blue Soldier, and the Witness. There is also included one story written by Grace's aunt, Isabella Alden: As in a Mirror.

The Best Man was all right. The plot twists strangely and unbelievably, and amazingly ends well. Not Grace's best work, but not too awfully bad.

The Big Blue Soldier is some better, dealing with the sad plight of a soldier returning from the war. He receives aid from our young heroine Mary Amber (reluctantly) and her Aunt Marilla. This story is quite short; only 7 chapters. It makes you think about guys who have to come home after a war only to fight new, small personal wars with their failing health or their relationships with loved ones and strangers.

The real jewel in this book is The Witness. I found it a moving, though fictional, account of a Christian man's testimony of faith through his life and family, and then his shocking death. His testimony affects the life of at least one of his former torturers. If you haven't read this story yet, you must get this collection for this story alone!

The last story, As in a Mirror, is sort of a Prince and the Pauper remake. A rich society man decides to test whether society is so far advanced as he thinks regarding the issue of homelessness. So he dresses like a tramp and sets out on foot to see if there are any kind people in the world. After months of travelling on foot, without money, he finds employment, eventually, with a family on their farm, his questions are answered, and he finds a way to reveal his true identity. This is a pretty good story, but not as good as The Witness!

Keep in mind that Grace wrote her stories in the first part of the 20th century. Her stories are old-fashioned, but her characters show the timeless quality of living their faith in Jesus Christ.

Julia's mother can no longer run a boarding house and must move in with Julia's older sister. Julia takes a bookkeeping job in a paper factory to earn a living. She asks counsel of a friend of her family on where she could board. He, Dr. Douglass, arranges it so that she will live at the same house where he boards. He is a strong Christian and is eager for Julia to use her influence for Christ's sake. Instead, the mistress of the house, Mrs. Tyndall, pulls her down by encouraging her to act and say things that are unpleasing to God. Abbie Reid, Julia's cousin, comes for a visit and the Lord uses her example to turn both Julia and Mrs. Tyndall around, as well as others in town. Standing up for what is right in God's eyes, forgiveness & kindness in word and deed represent a few points in this excellant book.

I bought this book because I was just curious to read something by Grace Livingston Hill's aunt, Isabella Alden. I never dreamed: 1) that her writing is as fresh, timely, and insightful as Mrs. Hill's; 2. that these particular stories would bring just the real-life insights that my family and friends needed in their business life; 3. that multiple impossible situations in several people's lives would have near-miraculous resolutions after people borrowed the book from me and applied its healing insights to their individual crises. Thank you for making this book available again. I'm looking for more by this author. And ordering 12 more copies of this one today, so I can let people "borrow" it without worrying about having my own copy!

I came upon this book quite by chance, and have not read any other by this author. If any of her many other works are as wonderful and insightful as this, I won't hesitate to obtain some of her other stories! This is the story of Christ Jesus with a strange twist. It is set in the late 1800's. Mrs. Alden writes this story as if HE hadn't come until then and portrays the public reaction as she believes it would have been in that time which is startlingly similar to the reactions when it really happened. If you think about what your reaction would be if God's Son showed up in your town in a quiet and unassuming way, what kind of faith and belief would you have? In this day and age, we have come to expect grand, magnificent gestures before we believe something momentous is happening. This is a story that shows us how little things have changed. The nature or spirit of man is still to a great extent residing in darkness away from the light of God..

I found this book very encouraging in living everyday Christian lives. Ruth, Miriam, Flossy and Eureka have returned home from Chautauqua to live out their new lives as newborn believers. They find out that it isn't as easy as they thought. The story takes some interesting and surprising twists. The story drags a little, but the girls discuss such topics such as dancing, card-playing, etc. I highly recommend this book, but it is not really a romance novel.

Millions of visitors of all ages come to Chautaugua Institute. This book is a must for all of them who want to know what it was like at the beginning. It describes in beautiful detail the historical setting of the second summer at Fair Point,NY. The year was 1875 and the multitudes slept in tents or commuted from Mayville by boat. President U.S. Grant made a visit. It is not about girls. This is the story of four young women who come in search of amusement or information, but return home with more than they ever imagined. Now I look forward to reading the sequels: "The Chautaugua Girls at Home" and "Four Mothers at Chautaugua".