Hannah More Books

My grandfather wrote this book-I was raised on these stories, and loved them as a child. I now read them to my children and love to share all the morsels of a distant jewish culture, my roots, and theirs. I encourage all who wish to infuse a flavor of the world of the shtetl and the lives of Eastern European jews of past to read thos and his others, including my favorites, The wise Men of Helm, and the Wandering Beggar.

This wry 1965 collection of 14 Helm stories returns readers to that delightful fantasy town in Eastern Europe. You know, that place all the world's fools dropped when an angel flying over it accidentally tore the sack in which he was transporting them? From that day to this, we have heard of their foolishness, um, excuse me, their wisdom.

It's hard to say which of the 14 stories is the funniest. I like "The enchanted goat" (don't worry, he isn't really) and "Because of a blintz" in which Yossel and his silly wife Sossie run into some trouble over little rolled pancakes filled with sour cream.

But my favorite (and I think my children agree) is "The holes in the bagels." Mayor Gimpel, his grandson Abba and another Helm worthy travel from Helm to Vilna, the capital of Lithuania. After a night in a fine hotel, the three men assemble to discuss the fools in this city. (Now remember, this is in the Jerusalem of Lithuania, famed for its scholars and rabbis.)

"One is more stupid than the other," says Abba. "Worst of all, they have no sense of humor. As I wandered through the city, all I found was noise, hurry and bustle. There is not a shred of reason or logic in their behavior."

Needless to say, the wise men of Helm prove themselves foolish several times over. But the funniest idiocy in this tale follows their first encounter with bagels.

"Look at them," said Shloime. "Did you ever see baked goods like this? It is shaped like a millstone, with a hole in the middle and a ring of dough around the hole. But never mind the shape. Taste it!"

The next day, all three Helmites went back to the bakery and ate a dozen bagels each. When they could eat no more, they asked the baker to teach them how to make them. Rueben turned to Shloime and asked, "I'd like the baker to go over it again from the beginning. Especially, I'd like to know how he gets the hole in the middle."

Well those holes cause more fun before the tale is done. But to find out how, and a lot more besides, read a story a night. They'll last for two weeks. Then, like a good man of Helm, you can start over again. Alyssa A. Lappen

My son and I read this together and cried through the last couple of chapters. It's so sad, but beautiful, moving and compelling!

Brown tries to delve into abolitionists' motives. The result is an overly long book full of equivocations. It's a hodge-podge, wherein on one page, he questions the abolitionists' sincerity because they objected to slavery on religious grounds and on another page he admits that they were dedicated to abolition as an end in itself. And so it goes on and on and on....very slowly and with no apparent end, or resolution, in sight.

This is a great attempt to understand how the British turned against the enslavement of Africans. It is sad to note that it took a bloody Civil War, the worse conflict involving Americans, to end slavery on these shores.

I read this book years ago and did not understand it. At the time I did not understand what an allegory is, but now I do understand. Now that my journey in growing my faith has been growing stronger, I not only understand the book, but it is also very enlighting and enjoyable.

This is my 3rd time at purchasing this book because I would loan my others out and they would not be returned, but heard HOW FABULOUS it was. I hope they were blessed, because it blesses me. Very heartwarming christain fantasy type exploration. Just a great book for ALL ages!

This little book by Hannah Hurnard is an excellent allegory of our walk with Jesus. It presents in a clear, easy to read manner the story of Much Afraid and her problems in life and how she overcomes them with her walk and faith in "The Shepherd." A good source for a Bible Study or just a good easy read. The book illustrates how life can be tough and challenging and what we must overcome to walk in high places. I highly recommend it.

This is a GREAT little book. I love it and have bought many to give away as gifts. I love the names of the characters that Hannah uses through the journey. Very easy to understand & follow!

This novel is an excellent read. An inspiring novel of hope and courage, and surrender.

I love stories by Linda Lael Miller. I've never been disappointed from reading one of her books. I've read 64 and find it hard to wait for the next book to be published.

Clever, funny, and clean. When do you get to expose your brain to that combination these days? Well, you have to go back in time with Austen or Bronte or Trollope--or MORE! Hannah More, that is. The cosmopolitan Christian philanthropist author with both wisdom and wit. Coelebs is well worth the read.

I would like to point out that this book is by HANNAH More, not Henry More as you have listed. Hannah More (1745-1833) was a school teacher, evangelical writer and political reactionary who was the author of large numbers of tracts and chapbook-style novels, such as 'Village Politics' (1792), designed to educate the poor in their duty of accepting a miserable lot in life and practising sobriety, diligence and religious piety. These works also warned of the dangers of political radicalism. 'Coelebs', More's only genuine novel, is directed more towards an aspiring middle class readership, and focuses on female conduct and education. More was also active in the campaign against slavery.