The Kendal Sparrow: A novel of Elizabeth Fletcher

by Barbara Schell Luetke

Other authorsJohn Corcoran (Cover artist), David Botwinik (Designer)
Paperback, 2019

Status

Available

Call number

A LUE c2

Publication

Philadelphia PA: QuakerPress of Friends General Conference, 2019.

Description

"The early Quaker movement was one fired by the spiritual activism and vision of young adults. The Kendal Sparrow is a fictional account of one of them. Elizabeth Fletcher, a real-life sheltered, English farm girl, was convinced in 1652 by George Fox. Based on historical records and careful research, Barbara Schell Luetke brings to life the story of Fletcher, a young Friend who breaks from the prescribed roles of women of that time to travel hundreds of miles to preach and find purpose in her life. The Kendal Sparrow includes the "tellings" of many of the youngest members of those known today as the Valiant Sixty and shows that each of our lives matters and can speak"--Cover, page 4.

User reviews

LibraryThing member lexingtonfriends
This book is a helpful orientation to some of the earliest Quakers in England and their persecution in the course of their spreading the word about this "new" idea that the Spirit of God resides in each of us and does not require paid clergy for access. It introduces many central concepts of
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Quakerism, such as convincement, Quaker values, refusal of hat honor and oaths. Unfortunately, the author takes so many liberties with the historical record in the interest of telling her story and communicating these customs that it becomes difficult to sort fact from fiction. To her credit, she does include at the end a 10-page biography of Elizabeth Fletcher and another 19 pages of "brief biographies of the young Quakers appearing in this novel," where she cites scholarly historical references toward that end. She also includes 10 queries for book discussion groups, some of which would stimulate excellent reflection and discussion.
I would have liked to shelve this book with Quaker History, but I think it will have to stay with Fiction (with a sub-classification of Quaker History).
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Call number

A LUE c2

Barcode

6109
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