Grace Livingston Hill
Encyclopedia
Grace Livingston Hill (1865–1947) was born in Wellsville, New York
on April 16, 1865 to Presbyterian minister Charles Montgomery Livingston and his wife, Marcia Macdonald Livingston. Both of her parents were writers, as was Hill's aunt Isabella Macdonald Alden. Hill was an early 20th century novelist and wrote both under her own name and the pseudonym 'Marcia Macdonald'. She was immensely popular during her lifetime and wrote over 100 novels and numerous short stories. Her characters were most often young female ingénues, frequently strong Christian
women or those who become so within the confines of the story.
Although many of her earlier novels were specifically intended to proselytize, Hill's publishers frequently removed overt references to religious themes. After her publishers realized the popularity of her books, references to religious topics were allowed to remain, although she later modified her writing style to appeal to a more secular audience. The last Grace Livingston Hill book, "Mary Arden", was finished by her daughter Ruth Livingston Hill and published in 1947. Hill's books are still in circulation and many of her short stories are available in compilation novels.
was very clear about what was good and evil in life, she reflected that cut-and-dried design in her own works. She wrote about a variety of different subjects, almost always with a romance worked into the message and often essential to the return to grace on the part of one or several characters.
Wellsville, New York
Wellsville, New York is a village and a town in Allegany County, New York, USA.*Wellsville , New York*Wellsville , New York----For other places with this name, see Wellsville....
on April 16, 1865 to Presbyterian minister Charles Montgomery Livingston and his wife, Marcia Macdonald Livingston. Both of her parents were writers, as was Hill's aunt Isabella Macdonald Alden. Hill was an early 20th century novelist and wrote both under her own name and the pseudonym 'Marcia Macdonald'. She was immensely popular during her lifetime and wrote over 100 novels and numerous short stories. Her characters were most often young female ingénues, frequently strong Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
women or those who become so within the confines of the story.
Writing career
Hill's first novel was written to make enough money for a vacation to Chautauqua in New York while the family was living in Florida. Lack of funds was a frequent motivator, particularly after the death of her first husband left her with two small children and no income other than that from her writing. After the death of Hill's father, her mother came to live with her. This prompted Hill to write more frequently. During and after her failed ten-year marriage to second husband Flavius Josephus Lutz, a church organist 15 years her junior (she did not divorce but stopped using his surname after he left in May of 1914), she continued to write to support her children and mother.Although many of her earlier novels were specifically intended to proselytize, Hill's publishers frequently removed overt references to religious themes. After her publishers realized the popularity of her books, references to religious topics were allowed to remain, although she later modified her writing style to appeal to a more secular audience. The last Grace Livingston Hill book, "Mary Arden", was finished by her daughter Ruth Livingston Hill and published in 1947. Hill's books are still in circulation and many of her short stories are available in compilation novels.
Good and Evil
Hill's messages are quite simplistic in nature: good versus evil. As Hill believed the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
was very clear about what was good and evil in life, she reflected that cut-and-dried design in her own works. She wrote about a variety of different subjects, almost always with a romance worked into the message and often essential to the return to grace on the part of one or several characters.