2021 Reprint of the 1925 Illustrated Edition. Illustrated by Gordon Grant. Full facsimile of the original edition and not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Porter's novel recounts the life of James Lewis MacFarlane, a young WWI veteran who escapes from a military hospital to avoid being sent to a tubercular isolation camp and who eventually finds himself at work aiding a beekeeper. It is there that he finds the courage to recover from his wounds, and for his efforts is rewarded with adventure, happiness, and love. It is also a story of the restorative power and beauty of nature, a dominant theme in Porter's work. There have been several adaptations of this novel to film.

Freckles & A Girl of the Limberlost are set in the Limberlost Swamp area of Indiana and describe this impressive wetland region, greatly reduced by heavy logging, natural oil extraction and drainage for agriculture. Freckles is an adult orphan, with bright red hair and a freckled complexion. His right hand is missing at the wrist, and has been since before he can remember. Exhausted after days of walking and looking like a hobo, he applies for a job with a lumber company in the Limberlost Swamp. Freckles gets hired by owner McLean to be on the watch for those who steal the timber. McLean's chief worry is Black Jack Carter, who has sworn to smuggle several priceless trees out of the swamp. When a recently fired lumberman named Wessner tries to bribe Freckles so the Black Jack's gang of thieves steal a prime tree next to the trail, Freckles gets into a fist fight with him and, although severely pummeled, chases him off. The next afternoon, while Freckles is recovering from beating, a lovely girl appears looking for him. Freckles falls in love with her while she helps him recover. She becomes his guardian angel as the Black Jack's gang seeks revenge. A Girl of the Limberlost - Elnora Comstock, is an impoverished young woman who lives with her widowed mother, Katharine, on the edge of the Limberlost. Elnora faces cold neglect by her mother, a woman who feels ruined by the death of her husband, Robert Comstock, who drowned in quicksand in the swamp. The Comstocks make money by selling eggs and other farm products, but Mrs. Comstock refuses to cut down a single tree in the forest, or to delve for oil. Elnora is beginning high school and she is determined to earn an education. She has a valuable specimens box which her friend Freckles left for her, and a desire to succeed in her enterprising scheme to gather and sell artifacts and moths from the Limberlost. Elnora is smart and witty; her heart aches for returned love and for support of her disapproving mother.

A classic coming-of-age novel, A Girl of the Limberlost follows teenage Elnora as she matures from a struggling high schooler to a self-confident young woman. Elnora Comstock lives in the now-lost Limberlost Swamp in Indiana with her neglectful mother, jaded by the death of her husband. Impoverished and constantly berated by her mother, her life situation prevents her from reaching her full potential. Like a hardened diamond, Elnora forms under pressure to excel in school and music, gaining confidence and wisdom. A Girl of the Limberlost earns its spot as a classic of American literature through its thoughtful depiction of numerous complex characters with troubled relationships who earn redemption by trial and hardship.

Rejected by her embittered mother and scorned by her classmates, Elnora Comstock seeks consolation in nature amid the wilds of eastern Indiana's Limberlost Swamp. Teeming with danger as well as beauty, the vast marshland offers Elnora an unexpected way to build a better life.
Gene Stratton-Porter's A Girl of the Limberlost has captivated readers since its initial appearance in 1909. Its realistic characters are headed by an intelligent, independent heroine who has served as a positive role model for generations. Its portrait of Elnora's blossoming friendship with a young man who shares her joy in nature depicts a pure romance, rooted in shared interests and mutual respect. Written by a popular Midwestern author of the early twentieth century, this is a book to cherish.

A war-torn World War I soldier hears the doctors give up hope for his recovery. He has a feeling that if he could live by the sea, get plenty of fresh air, exercise and sunshine, that he would begin to heal. So one day he slips out of the government hospital, and tottering toward the sea, he starts out weak and penniless on his Great Adventure.

Within a few days he finds a home, becomes a beekeeper in a lush California valley, and hurriedly becomes a bridegroom. Shortly after his strange marriage ceremony to a woman he met the previous evening, and to whom he had only spoken a few sentences, she hastily departs without a word of farewell.

Lavishly illustrated with all of the first edition drawings by Lee Thayer and all of the paintings by Gordon Grant. With its rich nature lore, this gripping novel is a story the whole family will enjoy reading.

In Freckles a homeless waif finds his deliverance in the primeval Limberlost swamp. Maimed and abandoned as an infant, Freckles seeks a chance to prove his worth. He is given that opportunity as the guard of the precious timber of the Limberlost.

Laddie, A True Blue Story (1913) by Gene Stratton Porter is a wonderful and semi-autobiographical novel of siblings, family bonds, struggles and loves, learning and nature, and the complex joys of growing up in the country at the turn of the past century.

Little Sister tells us the story of her brother Laddie, and the whole family is glimpsed through her loving eyes.

A classic uplifting tale of self-discovery for all ages.

Her publishers have felt the pressure of this growing interest and it was at their request that she furnished the data for a biographical sketch that was to be written of her. But when this actually came to hand, the present compiler found that the author had told a story so much more interesting than anything he could write of her, that it became merely a question of how little need be added. The following pages are therefore adapted from what might be styled the personal record of Gene Stratton-Porter. This will account for the very intimate picture of family life in the Middle West for some years following the Civil War.

HER FATHER'S DAUGHTER (1921) by Gene Stratton Porter is the story of Linda Strong, the titular heroine, a determined and opinionated young woman growing up in California in the 1920s.

What could have been a typically charming and heartfelt story of personal discovery, loves and relationships by the beloved naturalist author is unfortunately marred by the strongly pronounced racist and anti-immigrant mindset of the heroine and several other characters. It must be pointed out that the racial prejudice portrayed here is typical of its time and must be viewed in a socio-historical context. Nevertheless, it is something the modern reader will find offensive.

Despite the controversial nature of the material, the novel is an interesting, albeit disturbing study, both for students of the period and fans of the author.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.

We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.

We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

At the Foot of the Rainbow (1907) by Gene Stratton Porter is the story of the complex bonds of friendship between Jimmy Malone and Dannie Macnoun, and the woman they both love.

This edition includes introductory biographical material on the life and work of beloved Indiana author and naturalist Gene Stratton Porter.

Of all the books written by Hoosier writers, Gene Stratton-Porter's A Girl of the Limberlost is unquestionably the most cherished: the timeless story of an impoverished young girl, Elnora Comstock, growing up on the edge of the Limberlost swamp. Elnora Comstock has served as a role model for successive generations of independent young readers.

Set in the author's adopted home of California in the 1920s, this is Gene Stratton-Porter's last novel, a story filled with wisdom, a love of nature, and her own abiding optimism. In it a Master Bee Keeper, his bees, and the natural beauty of California restore a wounded World War I veteran to health.

Kate Bates is another Gene Stratton-Porter unsung hero in the tradition of Elnora Comstock, of A Girl of the Limberlost, and Freckles and Laddie, of books of the same name. As the youngest child, and female, in a large prosperous farm family, she has been designated as her mother's helper in old age. Kate finds this unfair since all of the brothers have been given land and the older sisters sent to teacher training. With the help of a nephew and sister-in-law, she defies her parents, becomes a teacher, leaves home. Her real ambition, however, is to own and cultivate a large farm. After rejecting the easy path to her dream, she suffers through a bad marriage but ultimately acquires her land and achieves happiness.

In this companion book to the much-loved classic A Girl of the Limberlost, an orphaned teenager longs to find his place in the world. Freckles was discovered on the doorstep of a Chicago orphanage, badly beaten and missing a hand. He yearns for the fulfillment of useful work, and at Indiana's Limberlost Swamp, his grit and determination win him the difficult, dangerous job of guarding a valuable stand of timber. Faithful and brave in his daily tasks, Freckles comes to appreciate the beauty and majesty of the natural world amid the wetlands' sights, sounds, and silences.
As nature works miracles in the boy's lonely, starved heart, Freckles meets a kind and gentle girl who collects specimens for a wildlife photographer. Despite his growing love for his Swamp Angel, Freckles feels himself far below her station -- until the opportunity arises for him to prove his true worth.

A Girl of the Limberlost - Elnora Comstock, is an impoverished young woman who lives with her widowed mother, Katharine Comstock, on the edge of the Limberlost. Elnora faces cold neglect by her mother, a woman who feels ruined by the death of her husband, Robert Comstock, who drowned in quicksand in the swamp while Katharine gave birth to their daughter and could not come to his rescue. The Comstocks make money by selling eggs and other farm products, but Mrs. Comstock refuses to cut down a single tree in the forest, or to delve for oil, as the neighbors around them are doing. Elnora is just beginning high school and she is determined to earn an education, which her mother derides as useless. She has a valuable specimens box which her friend Freckles left in the swamp for her, and a desire to succeed in her enterprising scheme to gather and sell artifacts and moths from the Limberlost. Elnora is smart and witty, and she loves the outdoors; her heart aches for returned love and for support of her disapproving mother.

Loosely based on Stratton-Porter's own childhood, Laddie is a double tale--the classic poor-boy/rich-girl romance and the story of a child of nature and her idyllic childhood.

Freckles (1904) by Gene Stratton Porter is the uplifting story of a plucky waif without a name and without one hand, disabled since infancy. Raised in a Chicago orphanage, he survives abuse and harsh circumstances and grows up a brave, loyal, and hardworking young man with a true capacity for self-sacrifice.

Freckles becomes a timber guard in the Limberlost swamp in Indiana and exhibits extraordinary courage and resourcefulness on the job. He also falls in love with the Swamp Angel, a young girl whose beauty and kindness bring out the best in others.

A beloved turn-of-the-century Indiana classic for all ages.

This early 20th-century classic chronicles the adventures of an orphaned newspaper boy in his hand-to-hand scuffle with life in a midwestern metropolis. Gene Stratton-Porter's faith in the healing power of nature is also apparent, in a lovingly depicted tamarack swamp set near the city.