We know the library can be very overwhelming, especially with books and authors know little about! This week, we want to tell you about Grace Livingston Hill (1865-1947). Grace was a prolific author who wrote over 100 books, mostly in the first half of the 20th century. Grace was born in upstate New York to loving parents, to a family of writers who encouraged her in her own writing. Her family relocated to Florida due to her father’s health, and as a young woman she was active in the establishment of Rollins College in Winter Park (Central Florida). Her first book, A Chautauqua Idyll (1887) was written to raise money for a family trip to a Chautauqua in New York. In 1882, she married Presbyterian minister Frank Hill and they had two daughters. Tragically, he died from appendicitis only 7 years later, and her father died less than a year after that. Grace was left to support her two young daughters and mother, and thus her writing career began in earnest. Grace was a strong Christian and those themes are throughout everything she wrote. Her books were set in the time period when they were written, so reading them today is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of that era. If you’re interested in learning more about her and her life, check out her biography written by her grandson.

In our library, we have a large collection of her most popular books. They are all stand alone, so can be read in any order despite any numbers on the spine. They are the perfect cozy read, with interesting storylines and happy endings. You can see a list of titles we have on our online catalog. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have!