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The Friendly Persuasion Paperback – September 1, 2003

by Jessamyn West (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 115 ratings
See all formats and editions
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A quintessential American heroine, Eliza Birdwell is a wonderful blend of would-be austerity, practicality, and gentle humor when it comes to keeping her faith and caring for her family and community. Her husband, Jess, shares Eliza's love of people and peaceful ways but, unlike Eliza, also displays a fondness for a fast horse and a lively tune. With their children, they must negotiate their way through a world that constantly confronts them-sometimes with candor, sometimes with violence-and tests the strength of their beliefs. Whether it's a gift parcel arriving on their doorstep or Confederate soldiers approaching their land, the Birdwells embrace life with emotion, conviction, and a love for one another that seems to conquer all.
The Friendly Persuasion has charmed generations of readers as one of our classic tales of the American Midwest.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    228 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    September 1, 2003
  4. Grade level
    9 and up
  5. Reading age
    14 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    015602909X
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0156029094
  9. Lexile measure
    910L
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR JESSAMYN WEST AND THE FRIENDLY PERSUASION
"You will laugh out loud and cry . . . A testament . . . to that faith in humankind that has made the American dream."-The Philadelphia Inquirer

"West writes gracefully, occasionally poetically, in a voice both innocent and brave."-The Washington Post

—

From the Back Cover

A S a n F r a n c i s c o C h r o n i c l e western 100 Best Book of the Twentieth Century


A quintessential American heroine, Eliza Birdwell is a wonderful blend of would-be austerity, practicality, and gentle humor when it comes to keeping her faith and caring for her family and community. Her husband, Jess, shares Eliza's love of people and peaceful
ways but, unlike Eliza, he displays a fondness for a fast horse and a lively tune. With their children, they must negotiate their way through the Civil War, a time that constantly confronts them and tests the strength of their beliefs. Whether it's a gift parcel arriving on their doorstep or Confederate soldiers approaching their land, the Birdwells embrace life with emotion, conviction, and a love for one another that seems to conquer all.
Jessamyn West's first novel and a classic tale of the American Midwest, The Friendly Persuasion will charm generations of readers, as it has in the past, for years to come.


"West writes gracefully...poetically, in a voice both innocent and brave."-The Washington Post

Jessamyn West (1902-1984) was born in Indiana to Quaker parents and lived most of her life in California. Her work appeared in Harper's, Mademoiselle, Kenyon Review, and the New Yorker among other publications. Her other books include Massacre at Fall Creek and The Collected Stories of Jessamyn West.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harvest Books; Reprint edition (September 1, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 228 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 015602909X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0156029094
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 910L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 115 ratings

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Jessamyn West

Jessamyn West

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
115 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

rule 7.62
5.0 out of 5 stars I didn't want this book to end.
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
When I finish a book I get a bit excited to pick my "next book". Not so with this one. I just wanted to let this one sink in a bit more. The story is so human, I bought another copy for my sister. I rank this up there with "Call me Ishmael"!
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Jay Dee
5.0 out of 5 stars A delight to enjoy
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2015
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This is one of the most joyful books. The movie based on the book did it justice, but there is so much more in the book. Ms. West's characters are much more developed, they're motivations are so much clearer and the setting adds so much to the story. This is one to read again and again.
One person found this helpful
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Gonzo Chickenlover
5.0 out of 5 stars Jessamyn West not only wrote this wonderful book but addapted the equally wonderful 1956 film starring ...
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
Jessamyn West not only wrote this wonderful book but addapted the equally wonderful 1956 film starring Dorothy McGuire, Gary Cooper, and the brilliant Anthony Perkins, more populary known as Norman Bates. I think what I like best about this book is the way it makes me hungry. West writes of "Pawpaws, smooth and sweet as nectar, persimmons with an October flavor, sarvice berries tart as spring." Yum! And what about "Dishes of jam with more light in them than the sun."? I can't help but feel romantic for that day when the world had wondorous variety and wasn't homoginized and consolodated by corporate greed, when various produce was not thought of as "weird" for being uniquely shapped and of a range of colors and flavors, before fruits and vegitables became so inbred and propagandized as to lose most of their historic nutritional value. West sat at the cusp of the turning point of this sad state, could see into the future of walmartization and mcdonaldization, (though walmart had yet to exist in 1940 when the book was first published, this edition being published in 1945 and not without, I should note, annoying little typos such as misplaced commas; and mcdonnalds had only just been founded), and had decided to record for us the way things had been up until that time and maybe whet our appitite for things better than what we have ended up with. A must read.
2 people found this helpful
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Suzanne Dobbins
4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful novel about a Quaker family
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2013
Verified Purchase
“No, it wasn’t Eliza’s preaching nor any outward lack the eye could see that troubled Jess. It was music. Jess pined for music, though it would hard to say how he’d come by any such longing. To the Quakers music was a popish dido, a sop to the senses, a hurdle waiting to trip man in his upward struggle. They kept it out of their Meeting Houses and out of their homes, too.”

Jessamyn West wrote this novel about an Indiana Quaker family almost 75 years ago. Beginning in the 1860′s, we follow this delightful family through the child-rearing days, the Civil War, and the family gatherings years later when the children are grown with little ones of their own.

I chose this as my Indiana pick for the 52 Books Around the USA Challenge, and it was surprisingly good. My own husband’s ancestors were Quakers that settled in southern Indiana, so it was doubly exciting to me to read about a family that might have been similar to those I was researching. I have seen bullet holes resulting from Morgan’s raid, where the Confederates reached up into Indiana during the Civil War. And although the Society of Friends were pacifists, many young Quaker men enlisted in the Union Army, to do their duty and to fight against slavery, much to the chagrin of their families. I so enjoyed West’s take on the war in the context of the Birdwell family – it really made history (and those bullet holes) come alive.

This novel made me laugh and sympathize and charmed me in a way few books can. This was a wonderful read!
13 people found this helpful
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Mary C. Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book.
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2019
Verified Purchase
Saw the movie again recently and decided to read the book. The movie followed the book just as written. Even had extra chapters. Loved the book and the movie. Mary C. Campbell
2 people found this helpful
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James S. Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous story telling
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2021
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West has the charm for depicting 19th century Midwestern farm life. Witty, self-deprecating characters and a vivid glimpse into the Quaker worldview of that era. No one can forget Eliza.
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Heavy Reader
2.0 out of 5 stars Mini stories....
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2012
Verified Purchase
This wasn't a book that seemed to "continue"...instead it was mini stories about the life of a Quaker family. A few funny parts.
One person found this helpful
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Cha-Cha
3.0 out of 5 stars Not My Cup of Tea
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2013
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This was not my kind of book to read. The style and vocabulary, including the pronunciation, just had me inwardly groaning. Although I could appreciate the setting of the time, I could not appreciate the story due to the way the book was written. I am glad I did read it though; I am always willing to try different authors and genres and that's why I read this book. It was part of a reading challenge.
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Top reviews from other countries

Ursula G. (Gaye) Webber
5.0 out of 5 stars Different but equal
Reviewed in Canada on January 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I first became acquainted with the story via the excellent film starring Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire(sp?) And Anthony Perkins. The book is, of course far more detailed than a movie can be but I must give each a high mark for pleasure and entertainment.
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Mr. Kenneth W. Roper
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful storyteller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a magnificent book written by an acclaimed author, it gives the reader a really good feel for the age and the time, as an added level of pleasure get the DVD of the movie starring Gary Cooper in glorious technicolour, and which pretty much follows the plot in the book. Buy with total and complete confidence and enjoy.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Reviewed in Canada on March 9, 2017
Verified Purchase
It is a delightful book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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vandor
5.0 out of 5 stars A good book and heartwarming
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2015
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Arrived promptly. A good book and heartwarming story
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