The Two Elsies

I read these books as a child and have just re-read them as a married mother of two. I can't say enough about their positive effect on me both then and now. In reading some of the other reviews it becomes quite clear that many of the objections (too close to erotic love between father and daughter and extreme piety in Elsie as a child) arise from two things: the change in our language and the change in our culture. The simple fact is that language has changed in the last one hundred years. Yes, the terminology is somewhat antiquated, but it is also rich with a vocabulary that would shame any modern author. Obviously language evolves. We do not ascribe the same meaning to certain words today as were ascribed in the time the books were written. That need not be a stumbling block to young readers if parents take a little time to talk about the changes in language. Indeed, it can be a very positive thing to discover the richness of language. A changing culture also leads to misinterpretation of an innocent work. The idea that there would be anything improper in the deep love shared between the father and daughter is only an invention of modern, jaded eyes. Our culture is so saturated with sexuality and selfishness that we no longer understand purity or selfless love. Original readers of the Elsie series would be horrified at the misinterpretation of this work. Indeed such a perverted view of love would be as foreign to them as the pure view of love seems to be to some of today's readers. As to the piety (some would say martyrdom) of Elsie with regard to her faith, I would again refer to the change in culture. Reading other works of the same era, one would find others with a similar dedication. Perhaps the comparison of Elsie's dedication and the casualness with which we tend to treat our faith today makes some readers a little uncomfortable. It certainly did me. But I am glad because it has made me re-evaluate my own walk with God ... a worthwhile exercise for us all.

I've read and re-read almost the complete series over the past 40 years and will, in all likelihood, read them yet again. Because I was unaware that they had been reprinted, I have spent many years questing after as many of the old volumes as could be had. In my search, I found "Wide Wide World", one of Elsie's favorite books and read that as well. The "Mildred Keith" series is also on my shelves after much hunting. Many readers have taken issue with the subjects of anti-Catholicism and slavery and parental harshness ....but one must see these books in relation to the popular attitudes of the people who lived when they were written. These attitudes make us cringe today, but that's good as it shows us how far we have come. I hope that many of you are reading the classic editions rather than (or in addition to) the "updated" versions. The richness of the language in the originals is a joy not to be missed....and if you must make many trips to the dictionary, Hooray!... That's called education! I was pleased to see some biographical information on Martha Finley...She has always been kind of a mysterious figure. I find it interesting that she never lived in the deep south. She must have been a tireless researcher. I am truly thrilled to read the words of so many "Elsie" fans....Keep reading!

I found it very heart-warming to find that it is not only still possible to buy a copy of Elsie Dinsmore but also that there are others that have enjoyed the book. When I was a child, I never got tired of reading this book. I found it to be strangely compelling and unforgettable. My 12-year-old daughter recently read Elsie Dinsmore and she too loved it. As an adult I can appreciate the historic significance of this book. How interesting it is to get a glimpse of life from post-Civil War life in the South. How child-rearing practices have changed! I'm not a religious person, and I've always found the book to be a bit "preachy" for my tastes, but it never kept me from reading it over and over.

When I was 10 years old, my family received a large box in the mail containing books that my mom had ordered. In it was the first book of the Elsie Dinsmore collection. My mom handed the book to me and said, "Here, this is for you." I thanked her, curled up on our recliner, and started reading. I soon fell in love the book. It was so exciting, so wonderfully written, and I felt so much like I had jumped right into the book. I found book one not very interesting because of how cruel Elsie's father was to her. A friend of mine told me how excellent the next books were, and so I kept on reading. I am now thirteen years old, and the Elsie Dinsmore books are my favorite books I have ever read. Every once in a while I get a couple of books, and I now have 12 hard back books that I love so much. I am planning on saving them so that my children and then their children can enjoy a heartwarming, clean book. For those of you out there (I'd recommend kids ten years old and up) who are searching for a great book, I recommend this one above all others.