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Ruth by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Through the pain of separation and poverty, Ruth was to become part of the fulfillment of prophecy―and find true love on her own doorstep―in this biblical novel.
Mass Market Paperback
First published September 16, 1986
About the author
Ellen Gunderson Traylor
40 books66 followersEllen Gunderson Traylor, "America's Foremost Biblical Novelist," is a gifted storyteller who brings characters of the Bible to life. Her many bestselling novels have sold about a million copies in English, with numerous foreign translations.
In addition to writing bestselling novels, Traylor has been a magazine/newspaper columnist and correspondent. An award-winning feature writer, Traylor has written screenplays and political speeches, and was a contributing writer and researcher for the Tyndale Family Bible Encyclopedia project.
In addition to writing bestselling novels, Traylor has been a magazine/newspaper columnist and correspondent. An award-winning feature writer, Traylor has written screenplays and political speeches, and was a contributing writer and researcher for the Tyndale Family Bible Encyclopedia project.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 10, 2018
One of my all-time favorite books! Just beautiful and as close to the Bible one can get with fiction. Very well done and I highly recommend it!
February 26, 2014
"A love story both human and divine! A young Moabite is now a widow. Refusing to return to her parents, Ruth follows her mother-in-law to the Holy Land. There she exhibits a loyalty that softens the bitter old woman, and draws the admiration of a fine Hebrew man. From her faithfulness will usher the line of Messiah".Quote from Powells books Comments: Excellent read. I love this author, and want to read all her books.
April 17, 2012
This was a great book. The author lives right here in the Florence area. I think anyone who has an interest in "the rest of the story" of some Bible stories should investigate Ellen Gunderson Traylor's historically accurate books.
September 22, 2018
I was surprised that I read this in 2.5 hours! It was so easy to read, with no gap filler - just a really nice, simple story that kept my interest the whole way through. I will be adding this to my "keepers" list.
September 24, 2011
I loved this story. I read the bible version first and I love all the details added to make this an interesting story.
April 17, 2012
Well researched and lots of historical detail. Very enjoyable.
May 20, 2026
I feel like this one captures the tone of the Book of Ruth better than the last retelling that I read, particularly with Ruth and Naomi's personalities, and Traylor goes a good job contrasting them in the second half of the book. She also made Mahlon likeable enough, though I didn't love her depiction of Orpah. Boaz is in this surprisingly little, but Traylor uses that limited time to make him as ideal as possible for the female reader.
The romance isn't bad, but it does feel awkward, because in this version, Ruth has only been widowed a couple months, and her and Boaz's relationship is pretty insta-lovey. Traylor also throws in a Random Rapist () right before Ruth meets Boaz. The point is to make Boaz look better for his concern, but aside from the iffiness of throwing a rape in, it makes the romance feel even weirder.
That is a good way for someone to act a few hours after meeting their crush. It's a very strange way for her to act a few hours after almost being raped.
The writing can be somewhat unsubtle with its messaging, and while I like the framing device of old!Ruth and David, the call-forwards about David's reign and all the Messianic stuff feels intrusive. Also, while I appreciate Traylor's attempt to accurately portray Judaism, the results are hit or miss. Some parts she just misunderstood, and others are very anachronistic—most notably, people keep quoting Bible passages that haven't been written yet. She tries to justify this with the psalms by saying that David inherited them rather than writing them himself, but that kind of annoys me too. Also, the way she depicts the other Jews in Moab feels like it's edging a little bit into "Jews are pushy and Judaism is cruel." Oddly enough, this isn't how they're depicted once Ruth and Naomi return to Israel.
One thing I will say: Traylor got the fact that Ruth's conversion isn't just about believing in one God, but also finding a connection to the Jewish people and the Holy Land. It's something that I think a lot of Christian writers wouldn't pick up on.
The romance isn't bad, but it does feel awkward, because in this version, Ruth has only been widowed a couple months, and her and Boaz's relationship is pretty insta-lovey. Traylor also throws in a Random Rapist () right before Ruth meets Boaz. The point is to make Boaz look better for his concern, but aside from the iffiness of throwing a rape in, it makes the romance feel even weirder.
It was very late when Ruth entered the Bethlehem gate with a lively step. Though she was returning from a day of back-breaking labor, and though her fingers throbbed where the small blade-fine cuts riddled them, she wore an infectious smile.
That is a good way for someone to act a few hours after meeting their crush. It's a very strange way for her to act a few hours after almost being raped.
The writing can be somewhat unsubtle with its messaging, and while I like the framing device of old!Ruth and David, the call-forwards about David's reign and all the Messianic stuff feels intrusive. Also, while I appreciate Traylor's attempt to accurately portray Judaism, the results are hit or miss. Some parts she just misunderstood, and others are very anachronistic—most notably, people keep quoting Bible passages that haven't been written yet. She tries to justify this with the psalms by saying that David inherited them rather than writing them himself, but that kind of annoys me too. Also, the way she depicts the other Jews in Moab feels like it's edging a little bit into "Jews are pushy and Judaism is cruel." Oddly enough, this isn't how they're depicted once Ruth and Naomi return to Israel.
One thing I will say: Traylor got the fact that Ruth's conversion isn't just about believing in one God, but also finding a connection to the Jewish people and the Holy Land. It's something that I think a lot of Christian writers wouldn't pick up on.
August 9, 2020
This is a delightful little semi-biographical account of a young Moabite woman named Ruth who, because of the kindness and devotion she shows to a poor widow living in a foreign land, becomes one of the most loved women throughout all of history.
When Naomi, Ruth’s impoverished Jewish mother-in-law, decides to return to her homeland of Israel after dwelling in Moab for several years, Ruth chooses to go with her, speaking one of the most beautiful and poignant vows ever made down through time: “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die—there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!’
Because of this vow and the selfless care she shows towards Naomi in the months to come, Ruth eventually becomes the great-grandmother of King David and thus a kinswoman in the ancestral line of Jesus.
She is a gentle and kind young woman - a widow herself - who takes care of Naomi with all the love and devotion of a true daughter. Gleaning in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy landowner and close relative of her dead husband, she manages to scratch up a few pitiful handfuls of barley in order for the two women to survive day after day. One morning she and Boaz meet and he sees not just a destitute young widow, but a loving and kind woman willing to put her own life on hold to ensure Naomi’s survival.
And this touching story isn’t just an account of their unfolding love; it is also a reflection of God’s love for mankind through the kindness, redemption and mercy offered by Jesus’ love and eventual sacrifice for all of mankind when he lay down his life on a cross.
The research Ms Traylor has put in to give readers a full insight into Jewish and Moabite traditions from early times certainly makes for an interesting read. So if you enjoy biological facts interwoven with an author’s clever imagination after putting in so much in-depth research, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this wonderful love story as much as I did. I give it 8/10.
When Naomi, Ruth’s impoverished Jewish mother-in-law, decides to return to her homeland of Israel after dwelling in Moab for several years, Ruth chooses to go with her, speaking one of the most beautiful and poignant vows ever made down through time: “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die—there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!’
Because of this vow and the selfless care she shows towards Naomi in the months to come, Ruth eventually becomes the great-grandmother of King David and thus a kinswoman in the ancestral line of Jesus.
She is a gentle and kind young woman - a widow herself - who takes care of Naomi with all the love and devotion of a true daughter. Gleaning in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy landowner and close relative of her dead husband, she manages to scratch up a few pitiful handfuls of barley in order for the two women to survive day after day. One morning she and Boaz meet and he sees not just a destitute young widow, but a loving and kind woman willing to put her own life on hold to ensure Naomi’s survival.
And this touching story isn’t just an account of their unfolding love; it is also a reflection of God’s love for mankind through the kindness, redemption and mercy offered by Jesus’ love and eventual sacrifice for all of mankind when he lay down his life on a cross.
The research Ms Traylor has put in to give readers a full insight into Jewish and Moabite traditions from early times certainly makes for an interesting read. So if you enjoy biological facts interwoven with an author’s clever imagination after putting in so much in-depth research, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this wonderful love story as much as I did. I give it 8/10.
December 12, 2022
Ruth is my favorite book in the Bible, and the account of Ruth and Boaz has long held a kind of romance for me, so I have been picky about fictionalized versions of it. This is my favorite of any I’ve read or watched so far. I think the author did a good job remaining true to the biblical account and to the spirit of it.
Traylor had to attach real motivations to some of the actions and dialog in the account, and both Ruth and Boaz came across just right, in my opinion. Naomi was decent overall, too, though I might have preferred a little more build-up to her comments about being bitter when she first returns to Bethlehem. Orpah, on the other hand, had no love for her mother-in-law, yet wept when she turned back. Even with those notes, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will most likely read it again more than once in the future. In the end, it’s clear to me that this is a love story not only about the romance between a man and woman but between God and man. I can’t recommend this book enough for those who enjoy biblical fiction, and especially those who appreciate the book of Ruth as much as I do.
Traylor had to attach real motivations to some of the actions and dialog in the account, and both Ruth and Boaz came across just right, in my opinion. Naomi was decent overall, too, though I might have preferred a little more build-up to her comments about being bitter when she first returns to Bethlehem. Orpah, on the other hand, had no love for her mother-in-law, yet wept when she turned back. Even with those notes, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will most likely read it again more than once in the future. In the end, it’s clear to me that this is a love story not only about the romance between a man and woman but between God and man. I can’t recommend this book enough for those who enjoy biblical fiction, and especially those who appreciate the book of Ruth as much as I do.
May 23, 2023
I am so glad my mum passed this book on to me - reintroducing me to Ellen Gunderson Traylor as an author. So many insights about the Moabites, and their religion, and Israel and their God, and Ruth’s story.
February 26, 2021
Excellent story about Ruth's life and God's timing in her life letting her be adopted into the family of believers and the Jewish people.
May 24, 2021
3.5 -3.75
Nice quick read
Nice quick read
October 1, 2022
Too much artistic license was taken in this book and the beautiful story of the kinsman redeemer lost its worth.
Read
June 25, 2025This story of Ruth was interesting. She has a chapter in the Bible.
January 7, 2026
Would recommend! Accurate from a biblical standpoint as best I could tell.
January 3, 2021
A heart warming novel that drips with touching incidents and moments.
December 31, 2016
A wonderul Christian fiction of a beautiful love story! Loved it!
January 15, 2017
She does a great job of capturing the time period and a great story line
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June 26, 2018
Well written, enjoyable story. She followed the biblical account exactly and then added logical and believable details to round out the story.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews