The Fair Adventure

by Elizabeth Gray Vining

extremely rare,very good condition

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

298 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1940

About the author

Elizabeth Gray Vining began her distinguished writing career with children's books because she said "they enjoy their books so much, read and re-read them—which is satisfying to a hard-working author." Later she began to write for adults as well, and they, too, read and re-read her books. among the most popular of these books are Windows for the Crown Prince, The Virginia Exiles, Friend of Life, Take Heed of Loving Me, and Flora.
—From the back of "Return To Japan"
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Elizabeth Janet Gray, also known as Elizabeth Gray Vining, was a prominent Quaker, known for having gone to Japan after World War II to tutor Emperor Akihito of Japan in English while he was the Crown Prince. She was a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and a noted author of children's and adult literature. She won the Newbery Award for Adam of the Road, published in 1942.

Reviews

[CLM · Rating 5 out of 5]

The summer between high school graduation and the beginning of college is momentous for Serena Paige McNeil, the youngest of a large family, who longs to attend a college that sounds much like Bryn Mawr (which Gray attended herself in the 20s). However, every time something happens to Paige, her news is eclipsed by something that occurs to someone else in the family, and eventually she gives up on hoping it will ever be her turn to shine...

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I found this at a used book sale years ago, as it's been waiting on my shelf for ages, just begging me to pick it up. I'm glad I finally got around to it, because it was great fun seeing what contemporary young adult fiction looked like in 1940--plus it's just a good story and very good writing. (The author, Elizabeth Janet Gray [Vining] was the winner of the Newbery medal for Adam of the Road, one of my favorites.) I always feel a little sad when I discover a great out of print book that faded into oblivion because it came just short of winning an award. The Fair Adventure deserves a little more spotlight.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book maybe 10 times in the 30+ years since I bought it at a library book sale, and it still never fails to strike me with the same delight. The author makes Page and her people SO real, sprinkles it with my kind of humor, and paints summer life in a 40s small college town so vividly that I wish I could just step into the book and live there. Maybe without the bridge games.

[Jennifer Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice, slice of summer life kind of book. The protagonist is a sixteen year old high school graduate who is trying to enjoy her last summer before college. The big conflict in this plot revolves around what college she will go to, and there are several small conflicts in between, as befitting a girl from a large family with various summer plans. It is quite a lark and a nice change from the modern YA fiction.