Which Elizabeth Goudge Book Should I Read First?
Advice after a decade of reading Goudge
Where should you begin with Goudge?
It’s a good question, because she wrote more than 40 books in her career. But there is not one right answer to this question! Often in the past the answer was to start with the Goudge book that you had available to you. Fortunately, now all of her adult and children’s novels are back in print so your options have expanded! We are still waiting to see her books make it onto audiobook, to see the reprinting of her narrative biography of Jesus and her short story collections. However, we have more choice than we did just a few years ago!
Stand out titles for adults & children of all ages
After leading many hundreds of people through Goudge’s books, there are a few titles that tend to stand out:
The Dean’s Watch
Many people feel that The Dean’s Watch is her most mature novel. It is a redemptive story based around Ely cathedral, where the Dean of the city goes on a spiritual awakening as he befriends those around him in new ways. Clockmaking features significantly in the story, and helps to deliver the gospel message.
The Scent of Water
The Scent of Water is a deeply redemptive story that takes place in an Oxfordshire country village post WWII. Mary retires there to learn about her odd elderly cousin, and finds a whole village of people that help her to find herself.
The Little White Horse
For children’s literature, The Little White Horse is a wonderful fairy tale of a girl with an unforgettable bedroom in a turret, who helps to save her valley with her bravery. Elizabeth Goudge won a Carnegie Medal for this book in 1946, long before CS Lewis won the same award for Narnia.
The Valley of Song
Those readers who grew up with The Valley of Song as child tell me that it shaped their faith and imagination, and that they have been trying to find the book again ever since. Fortunately, it is currently back in print!
The White Witch
The White Witch is a very compelling story about the English Civil War, which was fought between the Puritans and the Loyalists in the 1600’s.
The Bird in the Tree
The Bird in the Tree is the first of the Eliot trilogy - the only true trilogy of adult novels that Goudge authored. This first book is a story of redemption and sets up the rest of the series…
Pilgrim’s Inn (also titled The Herb of Grace)
Pilgrim’s Inn is the second to the Eliot books and probably the most beloved! A family that was nearly broken in two finds refuge in an old home that has a mysterious story of its own.
Gentian Hill
Historical fiction, Gentian Hill, is set in Torquay, Devon and tells about a traditional farm and its mysterious orphan. It is set during the Napoleonic wars in the early 1800’s and is rich in the holiday traditions of the time, warmth and coziness.
A City of Bells
A City of Bells is a supremely cozy read and favorite that has real substance as well. Set in early 1900’s Wells, the same time and places as Goudge’s own childhood, she writes to capture the slow magic of this small cathedral city. It includes some of Goudge’s most quotable comments on books, which readers will definitely want to save for later!
Henrietta’s House (The Blue Hills)
Henrietta’s House is a sequel to A City of Bells which was written for children, but is mostly enjoyed by adults! The magical fairytale journey on a picnic trip to the blue hills around Torminster is one adventure that every reader will want to enjoy.
Chronological publication order of Elizabeth Goudge’s adult novels
1934 - ISLAND MAGIC
1935 - The Middle Window
1936 - A CITY OF BELLS
1938 - Towers in the Mist
1940 - THE BIRD IN THE TREE
1942 - The Castle on the Hill
1944 - GREEN DOLPHIN COUNTRY (Green Dolphin Street)
1948 - THE HERB OF GRACE (PILGRIM'S INN)
1949 - Gentian Hill
1953 - THE HEART OF THE FAMILY
1956 - The Rosemary Tree
1958 - THE WHITE WITCH
1960 - THE DEAN'S WATCH
1963 - The Scent of Water
1970 -The Child from the Sea
First Book Crush
I have heard in the past several years from readers all over the world who treasure Goudge’s books, often in an intensely personal way. Their first Goudge book occupies a special place in their heart, but they usually come to love many of her books nearly as well.
Where can I buy Elizabeth Goudge’s books?
Elizabeth Goudge Book Buying Guide
“ 'A bookseller,’ said Grandfather, ‘is the link between mind and mind, the feeder of the hungry, very often the binder up of wounds. There he sits, your bookseller, surrounded by a thousand minds all done up neatly in cardboard cases; beautiful minds, courageous min…
Goudge’s Books by location
Her works have such variety as far as settings and time periods, that I suggest people read a few different synopses online to see which one sounds the most interesting to them at the moment. Or they could choose a book by location.
Guernsey: Island Magic, Make Believe (a short story collection), and Green Dolphin Street (also titled Green Dolphin Country)
Devon: The Rosemary Tree, Gentian Hill, Linnets and Valerians, The Little White Horse, Smoky House, I Saw Three Ships
Wells: A City of Bells, Sister of the Angels, Henrietta’s House (aka The Blue Hills)
Keyhaven: The Eliot Chronicles, which include: The Bird in the Tree, Pilgrims Inn (aka The Herb of Grace), and The Heart of the Family
Buckler’s Hard: The Valley of Song
Oxford: Towers in the Mist, The Scent of Water and The White Witch
Ely: The Dean’s Watch
London: The Castle on the Hill
Scotland: The Middle Window
Wales: The Child from the Sea
For more historical info, location photo of her settings and how writing these stories fit into her life, see our lists for all of Goudge’s Books:
Which Goudge would you consider a good book to start first? Love to hear!
Related posts:
* Contains Amazon affiliate links to the long list of Goudge’s works available on Amazon and all of Goudge’s stand out titles.
This is a fantastic resource, thank you Julie! I started with The Scent of Water. I love to hear which books other Goudge lovers started with.
I'm surprised and disappointed that you left out of top picks, the book Linnets and Valerians, it is much superior to the Little White Horse, which I would assert is her worst writing: overly sentimental, cloying and saccharine.
NS