My Reading Life…

I grew up in East Baltimore (Md.) known for its endless rows of tall, brick houses, all with marble front steps. Immigrants had poured into the city from Europe and the Mediterranean during WWI and WWII creating many diverse ethnic communities. I was the grandchild of Polish immigrants. However, my friends’ families were Irish, German, Greek, Italian, Czech, any one of a dozen nationalities. Most of us were second or third generation Americans and many of us had grandparents from the “old country” living with us. They told stories of far away lands in heavily accented English and fed us food cooked with the exotic spices and herbs familiar to their homeland. It was a wonderful way to grow up, fostering in me a lifelong fascination with peoples of varied regions and backgrounds. The books I remember most about the immigration experience are The Jungle, (Sinclair) and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, (Smith).

Immigrant families had a great respect for education, believing it to be a key to future success. We lived within walking distance of the Free Library. Growing up, helpful librarians guided my reading and I devoured the classics, which held me spellbound. At home, no one disturbed me if I was crunched up, pretzel-like in the old black rocker by the front window. “She’s reading,” they would whisper, and tiptoe past me. Unfortunately, I seldom awaken from the pages of a book as if from a dream anymore, but I did back then, reading books like Treasure Island, Black Beauty, the Call of the Wild, Little Women, and (my favorite) The Count of Monte Cristo. Later, I would add “the Greeks”, and the great English, French, and Russian authors.

A great teacher changes everything

An excellent ninth grade English teacher exploded my world by introducing me to the Tales of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table. The shining examples of chivalry reflecting Christian ideals electrified me and I read everything about the period I could get my hands on. Not surprisingly, years later, I took a break from college and moved to England where I stayed for two years. I lived in London, the place where Dickens actually lived! I walked by the Old Bailey, the criminal court where the fictional lawyer, Horace Rumpole, defended the Timsons! There were castles and remnants of castles all over the country. I was in seventh heaven. I think I would have stayed in England if only it hadn’t been so doggone cold!

Today in My Reading Life, author Deanna Rutledge tells us what pages she's turning. #BRRC #books #reading Share on X

Living there only twenty-five or so years after World War II, I became fascinated by novels set in that period. What I noticed, though, was how many of them were grim and depressing. Well-written, yes, but emphasizing the atrocities and intolerable conditions. After I married my pastor husband out of seminary and began teaching in Honolulu, I stumbled upon two books by Connie Willis: Blackout and All Clear. This excellent writer wove Christian themes through her WWII books which, to me, elevated them above the others. After that, I was no longer satisfied with simple history. Anything less than God in history was putting past events in the wrong perspective entirely.

Historial Christian Fiction

I began searching for Christian authors who drew upon the past as a way to tell His Story, and was amazed to find how many there were. In the years that followed, more and more of these books have been published by excellent authors, each bringing light into dark periods of the past. Isn’t that wonderful! Books like Until We Reach Home, by Lynn Austen, and The Butterfly and the Violin, by Kristy Cambron are excellent examples–although really, there are dozens and dozens of good ones.

As students of history, we learn a lot through reading about bygone eras, but we miss the most valuable life lessons if we don’t read historical fiction that shows us how God works through these events, through seemingly insurmountable circumstances, to effect His purposes. My husband and I live in Virginia now, and I don’t teach as much as I used to. Still, several of my fellow teachers and I assign summer historical fiction that we hope will bolster students’ faith, because the world they live in is loudly proclaiming a different message. It’s quite gratifying to have so many worthwhile books to choose from.

Meet Deanna…

Deanna Rutledge is the author of the Return to Trowleigh Christian historical fiction series for young adults. The books are set in 12^th century England, the Age of Chivalry and High Adventure. Book one (A Far and Distant Cry) was a finalist for the 2021 Selah Award in the YA category. The second book (On Rumor’s Deadly Tongue) won the 2022 CMA literary award as Best Books for Youth Ages 17-21. Book three (There Came a Wounded Knight) is scheduled to be published late this year. Now that the series is finished, Deanna is planning a new series for adults in the historical romance category. Connect with Deanna at www.deannarutledge.com, or deannarutledge002@gmail.com. She would love to hear from you!

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