'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about. I love doing this, letting the 'word' spread about authors and series that I enjoy. Hope you'll stop by often and see what I'm 'waiting' on!
The book I'm excited about this week is set in Pennsylvania and features The Elm Creek Quilters. It's the 23rd book in this series and is written by Jennifer Chiaverini, a very talented historical fiction writer. The first Elm Creek Quilter book was The Quilter's Apprentice, which I first read in 2004. I've read it more than once since that time. And I've picked up and enjoyed another 16 books in the series. I have liked the way that this author made some of these books 'present day' stories and some are set in past decades. There is now a '25th' anniversary edition of The Quilter's Apprentice. Jennifer Chiaverini has also written standalone fiction books, all historical, and also non-fiction quilt books with patterns. As I said, this author is very talented. Have you read any of these books? Do you like quilts or quilting? I'm not gifted in creating quilts, but both my grandmothers were.
The World's Fair Quilt
Publication Date: April 1st
A timely celebration of quilting, family, community, and history in this latest novel in the perennially popular Elm Creek Quilts series from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini.
As fall paints the Pennsylvania countryside in flaming colors, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson is contemplating the future of her beloved Elm Creek Quilts. The Elm Creek Quilt Camp remains the most popular quilter’s retreat in the country, but unexpected financial difficulties have beset them and the Bergstrom family’s stately nineteenth-century manor. Now in her eighth decade, Sylvia is determined to maintain her family’s legacy, but she needs new resources—financial and emotional.
Summer Sullivan—a founding Elm Creek Quilter—arrives to discuss an antique quilt that she wants to display at the Waterford Historical Society’s quilt exhibit. When Sylvia and her sister Claudia were teenagers, they had entered a quilt in the Sears National Quilt Contest for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair. The Bergstrom sisters’ quilt would be perfect for the Historical Society’s exhibit, Summer explains.
Sylvia is reluctant to lend out the quilt, which has been stored in the attic for decades, nearly forgotten. In keeping with the contest’s “Century of Progress” theme, the girls illustrated progress of values—scenes of the Emancipation Proclamation, woman’s suffrage, and labor unions. But although it won ribbons, the quilt also drove a wedge between the sisters.
As Sylvia reluctantly retraces her quilt’s story for Summer, she makes an unexpected discovery—one that restores some of her faith in this unique work of art, and helps shine some light on a way forward for the Elm Creek Quilts community.
I've read this author once or twice but didn't realize she was so prolific!
ReplyDeleteYes, she wrote the Elm Creek Quilt books for a bunch of years and then branched out into standalone historicals. She's come back with a few of the Elm Creek books since.
DeleteI really need to read one of her books. She lives fairly close to me so perhaps I'll find an author's event in my city. Thanks for sharing, Kay.
ReplyDeleteMary @Bookfan
Oh, that would be fun, Mary. Hope you find one!
DeleteI've only read one of her books, I think. I can't believe she's written so many!!
ReplyDeleteYes, those Elm Creek books came first and she wrote those as a series. Then she came out with standalone historicals that were very well received. She's added a few to the Elm Creek series, but there were some multi-year gaps there.
DeleteThis sounds absolutely lovely and I've been wanting to read this author for ages. I will have to keep an eye out for this one!
ReplyDeleteIt does sound good doesn't it, Katherine. And I don't think this is a series that it matters whether you've read the previous books. Hope you get to try it!
DeleteI had no idea there were so many books in this series! I read The Quilter's Apprentice shortly after it was published ... and second book, too. It might be fun to drop in on the Elm Creek Quilters again!
ReplyDeleteI think you should drop in on the Elm Creek Quilters. I imagine that reading this newest book would be fine without reading all the rest. A different sort of series.
DeleteI'd forgotten about this series! I read a few of the first ones and really enjoyed them, but then moved on to other books. Thanks for reminding me about these books. :D
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to have reminded you of these Elm Creek Quilters. I thought this new one sounded really interesting and I imagine it could work well as a standalone.
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