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Isabella Alden (Pansy)

Four Girls at Chautauqua is a Christian fiction novel by American author Isabella M. Alden under the pen name "Pansy" and is the first novel in her “Chautauqua Girls” series. Heartwarming stories of faith and love set in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Four friends - spoiled, quirky Ruth; fun-loving and mischievous Eurie; poor, independent and brainy Marion; and meek, approval-seeking Flossy - attend Chautauqua on a lark, and their lives are changed forever. 

Chautauqua is an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers and specialists of the day.

Four Girls at Chautauqua was first published in 1876. Next book in the series: The Chautauqua Girls at Home. Audiobook read by Tricia G, running time 9 hours, 6 min. Unabridged full version.

Isabella Macdonald Alden (1841 - 1945) was an American author of Christian fiction publishing her novels under her pen name “Pansy”. Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; in 1900, sales were estimated at around 100,000 copies annually.

Tricia G

Ambient Light - Christian Fiction Classics

The Chautauqua Girls series

Four Girls at Chautauqua

The Chautauqua Girls at Home is a Christian fiction novel by American author Isabella M. Alden under the pen name "Pansy" and is the second novel in her “Chautauqua Girls” series. Heartwarming stories of faith and love set in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Ruth, Flossy, Eurie, and Ruth return home as new Christians, eager to begin working. Their new faith clashes with their old lives, which they must overcome, as well as the prejudices of friends and acquaintances. 

The Chautauqua Girls at Home was first published in 1877. Previous book in series: Four Girls at Chautauqua. Next book in series: Ruth Erskine's Crosses. Audiobook read by Tricia G, running time 9 hours, 9 min. Unabridged full version.

Isabella Macdonald Alden (1841 - 1945) was an American author of Christian fiction publishing her novels under her pen name “Pansy”. Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; in 1900, sales were estimated at around 100,000 copies annually.

The Chautauqua Girls at Home

Ruth Erskine's Crosses is a Christian fiction novel by American author Isabella M. Alden under the pen name "Pansy" and is the third novel in her “Chautauqua Girls” series. Heartwarming stories of faith and love set in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Ruth's father brings home a wife and daughter, after 18 years, that Ruth had never known about. Suddenly she is no longer the queen of her home. And what's worse, the new mother and sister are rude and antagonistic. How will Ruth bear this cross?

Ruth Erskine's Crosses was first published in 1879. Previous book in series: The Chautauqua Girls at Home. Next book in series: Judge Burnham's Daughters. Audiobook read by Tricia G, running time 8 hours, 38 min. Unabridged full version.

Isabella Macdonald Alden (1841 - 1945) was an American author of Christian fiction publishing her novels under her pen name “Pansy”. Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; in 1900, sales were estimated at around 100,000 copies annually.

Ruth Erskine's Crosses

Judge Burnham's Daughters is a Christian fiction novel by American author Isabella M. Alden under the pen name "Pansy" and is the fourth novel in her “Chautauqua Girls” series. Heartwarming stories of faith and love set in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Ruth Erskine Burnham has helped raise her husband's two daughters, but all have rejected her faith and values. The constant pressure to compromise has weakened her walk and made her life miserable. Her one comfort is her sickly 5 year old son. Will she return to the strong faith of her young womanhood, and will her family finally follow?

Judge Burnham's Daughters was first published in 1888. Previous book in series: Ruth Erskine's Crosses. Next book in series: Workers Together, or, An Endless Chain. Audiobook read by Tricia G, running time 8 hours, 31 min. Unabridged full version.

Isabella Macdonald Alden (1841 - 1945) was an American author of Christian fiction publishing her novels under her pen name “Pansy”. Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; in 1900, sales were estimated at around 100,000 copies annually.

Judge Burnham's Daughters

Workers Together, or, An Endless Chain is a Christian fiction novel by American author Isabella M. Alden under the pen name "Pansy" and is the fifth novel in her “Chautauqua Girls” series. Heartwarming stories of faith and love set in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Fifth in the Chautauqua Girls series, the novel picks up the characters of Dr. Stuart Everett and Joy Saunders introduced in "Ester Ried Yet Speaking" and follows them and other Christians in their work for the Master. Half-hearted and fully committed workers: all have an impact on those around them, for good or for ill. (Summary by Tricia G)

Workers Together, or, An Endless Chain was first published in 1887. Previous book in series: Judge Burnham's Daughters. Next book in series: Ruth Erskine's Son. Audiobook read by Tricia G, running time 9 hours, 8 min. Unabridged full version.

Isabella Macdonald Alden (1841 - 1945) was an American author of Christian fiction publishing her novels under her pen name “Pansy”. Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; in 1900, sales were estimated at around 100,000 copies annually.

Workers Together, or, An Endless Chain

Ruth Erskine's Son is a Christian fiction novel by American author Isabella M. Alden under the pen name "Pansy" and is the sixth novel in her “Chautauqua Girls” series. Heartwarming stories of faith and love set in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Erskine, Ruth's son (a 5-year-old at the end of Judge Burnham’s Daughters) is now a grown man, and Ruth is 50-something. He brings home an American wife from Paris, a woman who seems to want to tear apart mother and son. But Irene has some big secrets to hide

Ruth Erskine's Son was first published in 1907. Previous book in series: : Workers Together, or, An Endless Chain. Next book in series: Four Mothers at Chautauqua. Audiobook read by Tricia G, running time 8 hours, 13 min. Unabridged full version.

Isabella Macdonald Alden (1841 - 1945) was an American author of Christian fiction publishing her novels under her pen name “Pansy”. Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; in 1900, sales were estimated at around 100,000 copies annually.

Ruth Erskine's Son

Four Mothers at Chautauqua is a Christian fiction novel by American author Isabella M. Alden under the pen name "Pansy" and is the final novel in her “Chautauqua Girls” series. Heartwarming stories of faith and love set in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The final book in the Chautauqua Girls series ties it all together when our four original girls return to Chautauqua on the 25 year anniversary of the trip that changed their lives forever. They have with them some children that could use the lessons they themselves learned there.

Ruth Erskine's Son was first published in 1913. Previous book in series: Ruth Erskine's Son. Audiobook read by Tricia G, running time 8 hours, 12 min. Unabridged full version.

Isabella Macdonald Alden (1841 - 1945) was an American author of Christian fiction publishing her novels under her pen name “Pansy”. Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; in 1900, sales were estimated at around 100,000 copies annually.