Top Ten: Vintage Reprints

Good morning, everyone! It’s time for another Top Ten list. Today we’re going to be exploring my Top Ten Vintage Reprints.

I have to admit, this was a difficult list to come up with for a couple of different reasons.

1. I LOVE vintage books, so I had a lot to choose from.
2. I read a ton of vintage books that aren’t necessarily available as reprints. (I.e. you have to buy originals or e-books.)
3. Way too many of my favourites are from Lamplighter Publishing. Which is fine. They’ve got an incredible catalogue of great books. But this wasn’t supposed to be a publisher spotlight!

Anyhow, you see before you the result of my persevering labours:

Top Ten Vintage Reprints List

(Books are linked to either a SAW Review or directly to Goodreads, according to availability, so you can check out some more detailed opinions on content, highlights, and more.)

• Jill’s Red Bag by Amy Lefevre—This story is so much fun! Yes, the children are dreadfully naughty. And I have a personal feeling of caution about the theme of “vowing” to tithe.  However, it’s a laughable, loveable story with a good message about giving our riches willingly and passionately—whether we consider ourselves wealthy or poor.
• Lily Gordon by Catherine Douglas Bell—I love this author’s character portraits, and Lily Gordon probably represents the most lifelike of all her novels. It is the story of three young girls who start out in life as the mistresses of their own homes—but with very slim knowledge of how those homes are supposed to be run.
• Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss—This book can be a little bit of a heavy read, but it is also full of hidden treasure! I’ve only been through it twice in my life (a bit rare for a book on the Top Ten lists) but there are certain lines that I still find myself thinking about all the time. Elizabeth Prentiss’s powerful faith and deep insights make this book almost more of a devotional than a work of fiction.
• The Bessie Books by Joanna Mathews—This delightful set of stories just might be my favourite American-Victorian series of all time! Dainty little Bessie Bradford and her warm-hearted impulsive sister Maggie are just such sweet, adorable children to be around. And if you like a favourite series that goes on—and on—and on—than the Bessie Books, and their pair of continuations “Little Sunbeams” and “A Series of Sequels to the Bessie Books,” will keep you happy for a very long time.
• The Bishop’s Shadow by I. T. Thurston—I don’t usually love Victorian slum stories, but The Bishop’s Shadow is definitely an exception to the norm! This tale of a real-life bishop, and his unconscious impact on a ragged young newsboy, is both enjoyable and inspiring.
• The Courage of Nikolai by Mary E. Ropes—This story gives me shivers. Kind of creepy shivers. And yet it is still a fascinating adventure. Set in pre-revolutionary Russia it gives a picture of a very corrupt and dangerous world, but also demonstrates that singlehearted loyalty, devotion, and courage are possible, no matter how dark the scene.
• The Daisy Chain by Charlotte M. Yonge—If you like books that give you a delightfully-detailed picture of everyday Victorian life, then The Daisy Chain is for you! While it’s not necessarily as dramatic as The Heir of Redclyffe (which is coming up below, of course!) The Daisy Chain has just as vividly living characters, and the added merit of being (wait for it!) EVEN LONGER!
• The Heir of Redclyffe by Charlotte M. Yonge—Yes, you knew this one was going to be on here. It is one of the most powerful books I’ve ever come across. The themes of conscientiousness, forgiveness, and the power of a holy life have impacted me in so many different areas. It remains not just one of my Top Ten vintage reprints, but one of my Top Ten books of all time.
• The Lost Clue by Mrs. O. F. Walton—Was this the first mystery I ever read? It must have been pretty close. And it remains a mystery I love to read over and over again, even though I know every detail almost by heart. It always feels like a perfect Christmas story, even though Christmas only plays a very incidental role. The characters are engaging and inspiring, and it has a thoroughly feel-good ending!
• The White Knights by W. E. Cule—There are some things I love more than others about this story, but it’s one our family has come back to and enjoyed many times over the years. W. E. Cule’s early-1900’s style is light and humorous, while the allegorical challenge to carry the spirit of King Arthur’s knights into the modern world has a profound message for the way we live our lives each day.

What are Your Top Picks?

Well, those are my Top Ten Vintage Reprints. (Yes, I did just scroll up and count to make sure I actually had ten, and no more than ten!)

I’d love to hear what books make your own personal Top Tens. Don’t forget to share a few with us in the comments section below.

If you’re looking for another Top Ten list on a similar theme, see our previous post:

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