That Cutter Gap is right rough country. Watch yourself out there. . . The train taking nineteen-year-old teacher Christy Huddleston from her home in Asheville, North Carolina, might as well be transporting her to another world. The Smoky Mountain community of Cutter Gap feels suspended in time, trapped by poverty, superstitions, and century-old traditions. But as Christy struggles to find … traditions.
But as Christy struggles to find acceptance in her new home, some see her–and her one-room school–as a threat to their way of life. Her faith is challenged and her heart is torn between two strong men with conflicting views about how to care for the families of the Cove.
Yearning to make a difference, will Christy’s determination and devotion be enough?
Since its first release in 1967, Christy has sold an astonishing 10 million copies. Now the beloved story is available in a special 50th anniversary edition which includes an afterword reflecting on the success of the book and how many people Christy’s story has reached, as well as added features like a character list and a town map to enhance the reading experience for fans old and new.
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I love this book for many reasons, not the least of which is how each character is so sensitively drawn, and how spiritual themes are integral to the story without being forced. I also love that disparate views–the superstitions of the Mountain People, Dr. MacNeil’s no-nonsense scientific worldview, Miss Alice’s Quaker traditions, Christy’s conservative but hollow church upbringing–are each treated with respect and explored with both boldness and sensitivity. I love that questions and doubts are expressed as a normal part of faith.
Not every story lends itself to such explicit exploration of matters of faith, and that’s completely fine. But this one does, and it does so expertly.
I’ve read this book several times and it holds up every time. A girl takes a leap of faith having no idea what she is getting herself into, and finds God in the middle of everything. She leaves the city and a life of plenty to teach school in a rural mountain community. Many times she is tempted to quit; life is harder than she expected, but instead, she learns that love changes everything. And God changes everything.
I am always inspired after immersing myself in this almost true story. The thing is, this book is slow, episodic perhaps, and it takes the reader along on a journey. My wrestling with God is different than Christy’s, and yet I feel as though we would have been good friends. And I am thankful for stories like these that remind me God is closer than we realize.
Christy was recommended to me many years ago, but I never took the chance to actually sit down and read it until recently. When I finally did pick it up, it took me about two months to get through—but what an excellent story!
I loved meeting everyone in here; Miss Alice was probably my favorite, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that is pretty typical among Christy’s readers. She was a very focused person, who wanted to show the Lord to people through her actions, and she loved people in a way that I yearn to learn to do better. She was quite an inspiration to me.
If, like me, you love historical fiction, this is the best of the best, in my opinion. This combines a fair amount of fact with a semi-fictitious storyline that makes for a very easily read story, but one that also has a strong, realistic charm to it. Some of the passages in here are just glorious in their descriptive ways that bring you into the setting and let you gently explore the area. I’d love to explore some of the things Christy got to see—but I’m sure some of it is quite different now!
If you’re looking for a solid story with its roots firmly bound in history and faith, I’d recommend this. It’s a goodie!
I absolutely love Christy. I love the descriptions, the story itself, and the characters. The characters are so colorful and lively. My only complaint is that I wish there was more. I would love to read more about Christy after her illness and where her path takes her.