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The Following of the Star
THE FOLLOWING OF THE STAR ,A ROMANCE STORY BY FLORENCE L.BARCLAY,PUBLISHED IN 1911.
The Same Author of this Book,
The Rosary
The Mistress of Shenstone
Through the Postern Gate
The Upas Tree
The Following of the Star
The Broken Halo
The Wall of Partition
My Heart's Right There.
The Same Author of this Book,
The Rosary
The Mistress of Shenstone
Through the Postern Gate
The Upas Tree
The Following of the Star
The Broken Halo
The Wall of Partition
My Heart's Right There.
185 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1911
12 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Florence L. Barclay
110 books45 followersShe was born Florence Louisa Charlesworth in Limpsfield, Surrey, England, the daughter of the local Anglican rector. One of three girls, she was a sister to Maud Ballington Booth, the Salvation Army leader and co-founder of the Volunteers of America. When Florence was seven years old, the family moved to Limehouse in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
In 1881, Florence Charlesworth married the Rev. Charles W. Barclay and honeymooned in the Holy Land, where, in Shechem, they reportedly discovered Jacob's Well, the place where, according to the Gospel of St John, Jesus met the woman of Samaria (John 4-5). Florence Barclay and her husband settled in Hertford Heath, in Hertfordshire, where she fulfilled the duties of a rector's wife. She became the mother of eight children. In her early forties health problems left her bedridden for a time and she passed the hours by writing what became her first romance novel titled The Wheels of Time. Her next novel, The Rosary, a story of undying love, was published in 1909 and its success eventually resulted in its being translated into eight languages and made into five motion pictures, also in several languages. According to the New York Times, the novel was the No.1 bestselling novel of 1910 in the United States. The enduring popularity of the book was such that more than twenty-five years later, Sunday Circle magazine serialized the story and in 1926 the prominent French playwright Alexandre Bisson adapted the book as a three-act play for the Parisian stage.
Florence Barclay wrote eleven books in all, including a work of non-fiction. Her novel The Mistress of Shenstone (1910) was made into a silent film of the same title in 1921. Her short story Under the Mulberry Tree appeared in the special issue called "The Spring Romance Number" of the Ladies Home Journal of 11 May 1911.
Florence Barclay died in 1921 at the age of fifty-eight. The Life of Florence Barclay: a study in personality was published anonymously that year by G. P. Putnam's Sons "by one of Her Daughters.
In 1881, Florence Charlesworth married the Rev. Charles W. Barclay and honeymooned in the Holy Land, where, in Shechem, they reportedly discovered Jacob's Well, the place where, according to the Gospel of St John, Jesus met the woman of Samaria (John 4-5). Florence Barclay and her husband settled in Hertford Heath, in Hertfordshire, where she fulfilled the duties of a rector's wife. She became the mother of eight children. In her early forties health problems left her bedridden for a time and she passed the hours by writing what became her first romance novel titled The Wheels of Time. Her next novel, The Rosary, a story of undying love, was published in 1909 and its success eventually resulted in its being translated into eight languages and made into five motion pictures, also in several languages. According to the New York Times, the novel was the No.1 bestselling novel of 1910 in the United States. The enduring popularity of the book was such that more than twenty-five years later, Sunday Circle magazine serialized the story and in 1926 the prominent French playwright Alexandre Bisson adapted the book as a three-act play for the Parisian stage.
Florence Barclay wrote eleven books in all, including a work of non-fiction. Her novel The Mistress of Shenstone (1910) was made into a silent film of the same title in 1921. Her short story Under the Mulberry Tree appeared in the special issue called "The Spring Romance Number" of the Ladies Home Journal of 11 May 1911.
Florence Barclay died in 1921 at the age of fifty-eight. The Life of Florence Barclay: a study in personality was published anonymously that year by G. P. Putnam's Sons "by one of Her Daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 20, 2015
Slack-jawed, at times even slack-brained, yet curiously likable romance between a missionary parson and a flippant heiress, the kind that stems from the improbable stipulation of a dying man's will, throws caution to all considerations of common sense and openly courts incredulity from the outset.
David Rivers is the parson, his namesake Diana Rivers the heiress. She wants to secure her fortune, he wants to found a church in Central Africa. She only wants to marry because she has to, he is a confirmed celibate about to leave England for good. Preposterous plotting takes care of the rest.
The author clearly intends Diana to be an independent, strong-willed woman, yet she comes across more like a whimsically immature featherhead. David you can characterise as one of those nice-but-dim types, though I think we are expected to look on him as a selfless mountain of moral strength.
I can't say that Barclay's attempts to correlate their romance with the gifts of the three wise men really amounted to much either, although it did allow her to centre much of the action around Christmas, which having read one of her books before she seems to like doing, for no clear reason.
Utter nonsense, yet too naive to dislike.
David Rivers is the parson, his namesake Diana Rivers the heiress. She wants to secure her fortune, he wants to found a church in Central Africa. She only wants to marry because she has to, he is a confirmed celibate about to leave England for good. Preposterous plotting takes care of the rest.
The author clearly intends Diana to be an independent, strong-willed woman, yet she comes across more like a whimsically immature featherhead. David you can characterise as one of those nice-but-dim types, though I think we are expected to look on him as a selfless mountain of moral strength.
I can't say that Barclay's attempts to correlate their romance with the gifts of the three wise men really amounted to much either, although it did allow her to centre much of the action around Christmas, which having read one of her books before she seems to like doing, for no clear reason.
Utter nonsense, yet too naive to dislike.
December 5, 2022
3.5 stars.
I picked up this vintage romance because I wanted to read a light, clean, Christmas-themed novel. Though more sentimental than my usual fare, I was willing to put up with it for escapist purposes, and I ended up being pleasantly surprised.
The story takes place in the early 1900s. Diana Rivers is an heiress with strong ideas about women’s rights who views marriage as slavery and has no intention of giving up “her absolute right to herself.” Her uncle, however, is determined to change her mind.
I can’t tell how any of this happens without spoilers, so I will just say that I was impressed with how “Christian” the book was without exhibiting most of the flaws of modern Christian fiction. Barclay succeeded in weaving Scripture verses and hymn lines into the narrative without ever once making the reader feel they were tacked on for evangelistic purposes. Her protagonists suffer and grow and never give pat answers to life’s problems. And I actually liked her characters, flaws and all.
I, who rarely cry when reading books, shed quite a few hot tears over this one.
I picked up this vintage romance because I wanted to read a light, clean, Christmas-themed novel. Though more sentimental than my usual fare, I was willing to put up with it for escapist purposes, and I ended up being pleasantly surprised.
The story takes place in the early 1900s. Diana Rivers is an heiress with strong ideas about women’s rights who views marriage as slavery and has no intention of giving up “her absolute right to herself.” Her uncle, however, is determined to change her mind.
I can’t tell how any of this happens without spoilers, so I will just say that I was impressed with how “Christian” the book was without exhibiting most of the flaws of modern Christian fiction. Barclay succeeded in weaving Scripture verses and hymn lines into the narrative without ever once making the reader feel they were tacked on for evangelistic purposes. Her protagonists suffer and grow and never give pat answers to life’s problems. And I actually liked her characters, flaws and all.
I, who rarely cry when reading books, shed quite a few hot tears over this one.
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November 7, 2020I always thought this book would make a good movie.No sense into going into the plot as there are numerous summaries.This beautiful young heiress who is always so focused and interested in David's sermons while to the rest of the parish he is only droning on.His calling is missionary work .ministering.into the far corners of the world.This temporary job will provide the funds.All of a sudden she proposes during a dinner invite.Which was after he was almost run down by her limo.Of course he will say no.He is leaving.Till she reminds him of all the good her money could do in his work.Well!So she pretty much blackmails him.Movie mateŕial.
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April 14, 2023
Started off a bit strangely. It's a rather unconventional romance, and I wasn't quite sure where the author was going with it. I should have trusted Barclay to come through in the end. It's a bit preachy (OK, a lot preachy) but still a satisfying read.
October 24, 2018
Sweet story. 3.5 Star read for me
June 11, 2021
Another absolutely lovely romance from Florence Barclay!
February 13, 2024
Delightful old romance with a very unusual plot. This is an old favorite of mine.
August 20, 2019
David Rivers has been ministering in Africa for several years. While on sick leave in England, he meets the fascinating Diana. After leading her to the Lord, she presents an interesting business proposal to him-a proposal of marriage! The only way this independent woman can keep her inheritance is a speedy marriage and who could be a better husband than an absent missionary? Only, what will Diana do when she finds she has actually fallen in love with her husband? Follow David and Diana over the course of several Christmases, as they discover the meaning of true, sacrificial love.
This Christian story from 1911 is just simply delightful. It literally made me laugh out loud AND ugly cry. So many emotions! Fans of Jane Austen should find themselves lost in this heart-warming tale. And, if you enjoy it as much as I think you will, be sure to check out "The Rosary" by the same author. Both books deserve a lot more attention.
This Christian story from 1911 is just simply delightful. It literally made me laugh out loud AND ugly cry. So many emotions! Fans of Jane Austen should find themselves lost in this heart-warming tale. And, if you enjoy it as much as I think you will, be sure to check out "The Rosary" by the same author. Both books deserve a lot more attention.
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November 12, 2019Obviously, the 2018 reprint is not the edition of this work that I read in 1972.
Introduced to Barclay's The Rosary as a 13 year old by my mother, I've been keeping an eye out for her other works and collecting them as I could.
This is my second favourite, after The Rosary and before Mistress of Shenstone.
Introduced to Barclay's The Rosary as a 13 year old by my mother, I've been keeping an eye out for her other works and collecting them as I could.
This is my second favourite, after The Rosary and before Mistress of Shenstone.
February 26, 2023
This is an extremely old-fashioned book. I love the love story and the faith journey of both main characters. But don't read it if you're looking for present day sensibilities. It's pretty sexist. Seriously though, I absolutely love the story. But it's definitely not written for today's world.
January 26, 2015
I enjoyed the story in "The Following of the Star". I was given a copy published in 1911, the year it was copyrighted, so it made it even more special. I love old books. This is a book that I might re-read again sometime in the future.
June 22, 2024
Not as brilliant as The Rosary, but a likable love-story, with a beautiful sideline about the gifts we - as well as the three mages of the Nativity - have to bring to the King.
December 13, 2013
One of the very best books I've ever read!
July 23, 2015
Orig publ 1911
Rec (w/PC caveat) by Mary Balogh
Rec (w/PC caveat) by Mary Balogh
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews