The Woman at the Well

by Dale Evans Rogers

Dale Evans Rogers at last tells her own story in this inspiring and entertaining book. Her account is one of a modern woman at the well -- the testimony of an extraordinary woman of faith who drank deeply of the water given by Christ, and who now invites others to drink at the well.

Genres: Biography, Christian, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

American writer, film actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the second wife of Roy Rogers.

Reviews

[ClaraBelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book but still somewhat disappointing and dustrurbing! I loved her sweet faith despite her tragic losses of three children, 1 son-in-law, and 1 grandson, prematurely. I loved her marriage with Roy Rogers and was moved to thankful tears by her eventual conversion to Christianity and subsequent spiritual influence in the culture after living for 27 years as a false convert trying to find peace in having children, her marriage, and career but ultimately, being disappointed by her infertility, divorces, multiple marriages, and career setbacks.
What I loved: her amazing life journey and personal memories of life, love, and loss
What I didn’t like: her speaking in tongues and “blue light of the Holy Spirit” experiences. I believe that speaking in tongues and Holy Spirit are real, but found her experience with them a little odd and frightening due to bad experience I’ve had with peoples interpretations of how those things work without verification of the Scriptures, just “oh I think…”opinions.
Rating:2.5 stars
Recommended for: everyone, especially people going through hard times and need spiritual strength and advice from someone who’s been there too.

[Priscilla King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is what the actress known as Dale Evans wanted the world to know about her early life, including the fun fact that she wasn't even sure what her original given name was--Frances, as she'd been called, or Lucille? She and the actor known as Roy Rogers weren't always Christians, nor was their marriage their first one. Hence the title.

In the Bible, Jesus said some of his memorable lines to a Samaritan woman he met at a well. Since it was customary for all the women in the neighborhood to use their daily trips to the well as time for socializing, we might guess that this one was unpopular, possibly because she had had five husbands and was now living with a man to whom she hadn't even been married. Evans asked Christians who didn't believe in remarriage after divorce to think of her and Rogers as similar to the woman at the well.

The story of how Evans became a Christian was what her Christian audience wanted her to tell at length. So she did.

Then she tells more of what some other readers thought was the interesting part of her story: how she and Rogers lost some of their children (first to genetic medical problems, later to accidents) and came to adopt a multiethnic crowd of other children. They became activists to some extent on behalf of children who were considered unadoptable because of health issues, disabilities, or multiracial ancestry. This book contains several stories about the children, and photos.

It's a much more interesting read than other movie star memoirs of the period. Evans and Rogers did so well together that they could afford to defy the trends--admitting they were Christians (most of their colleagues had no religion and several didn't want to mention being Jewish), and not only admitting that Evans had given birth (star actresses were supposed to seem virginal, while prostituting themselves to producers) but publicizing that their children hadn't been Hollywood-perfect pretty faces and high achievers all the way. If Evans' memoir now reads a bit like something your great-aunt might have written, only with more money and famous names, it's worth remembering that her being able to sound like somebody's great-aunt was the trophy of her ultra-success.

She was a great actress, and deserved the rare reward of being able to grow old like any ordinary church lady, only with more money.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life for Dale Evans and Roy Rogers was not always the “Happy Trails” they sung about. This somewhat autobiographical book tells of the path Dale travelled before and during her life with Roy. Dale discusses how her Christian faith grew stronger with each challenge her family faced.
As of the publication of this book in 1970, Dale had 8 other books authored from her “inspired pen.”

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an auto-biography of Dale Evans Rogers life. Well written and very interesting. Not difficult to read or understand, Dale speaks from her heart. She went through some incredibly diffucult things, and never lost her faith. Amen.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great message. Came at a time when I really needed it. I didn’t even realize how much of it I was reading in one sitting. I’ve never had a nonfiction compel me so much. I wanted to keep reading. Even when it hurt or made me uncomfortable. It reasserted a lot for me that I needed to hear or work through. Don’t let the cover or publication date scare you. This is a gem, just like my grandmother said it was.

[Heather Leipart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pretty outdated. It is a biography of Dale Rogers, who is the wife of Roy Rogers. I didnt even know who this lady was when I started it, but a friend had given me the book so I felt obligated to read it. You could learn a few lessons from all of her life trials. She kept the faith through it all.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really did enjoy this book at first. But then I got to a part in the book towards the end and then she talked about speaking in tongues once or twice. She talks about a bluish light filling her train car; she thought it was the Holy Spirit. That disappointed me. Besides that I thought it was ok, but I won't be keeping it.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have always loved Dale Evans Rogers, always will.

[Willa Guadalupe Grant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dale Evans has the responses on would expect from a woman of her time period- mostly the book was fun reading for me because I liked reading about her experiences going to my (then her) church!

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This writing style is incredible for the time. Dale is a fantastic writer and I highly recommend.

[Kay Schrock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting memoir of Dale Evans Rogers (Roy Roger's wife). I knew very little of her story prior to reading this book. As all true Christians, she has went through the fire!