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The Beechers

An American Family in the Nineteenth Century
Sep 24, 2011floy rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is a large book, both in size and scope. I admit I tired near the end of the 601 pages but overall, it's worth reading. The Beechers were an extraordinary family in the 1800s. The sons and daughters of a famous Presbyterian minister, each child grew up to wrestle with theological and sociological issues. All of the sons became ministers and the daughters (who were forbidden to join the ministry) became educators, suffragists, and abolitionists. Together, the family ended up publishing 120 books and impacting the nation. One of the children was Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin". This family's story teaches a great deal about American history. Although some readers may tire of the discussion of theology, this reader (an atheist) found it rather fascinating to watch how the practice of Christianity changed during this time.