The crazy life of the ClarkClan. Living a life of grace through Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Salem Ridge Press

Salem Ridge Press header

     On a cool, crisp fall day, my kids and I find that curling up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate or tea is a great way to pass the time.  When the book is riveting, such days are bliss. Salem Ridge Press is a company that provides books just made for those fall days.

    Salem Ridge Press is a book company that republishes great books.  It was founded in 2005, by Daniel Mills.  He searches out books from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s that are full of Godly character and good moral values.The standards of this company are very high.  They use as their standard for judging a book’s writing and illustrations Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  With this verse in mind,all books are evaluated and edited, if needed, to fit their standards.

The captives book cover

          Salem Ridge Press offers a variety of books for sale, for all ages.  I was able to review three historical fiction books.  As I love historical fiction this was an enjoyable review.  The three books I read were Dearer than Life, The Captives, and The Sign Above the Door.  I feel, with these three books, I was given a good representation of what the company has to offer.  The books were very well written.  The editing was wonderful. The best feature, for me, was the vocabulary defined at the bottom of the page in which it appears.  This was especially useful in the Dearer than Life book.  This book was originally published in 1848, and the story takes place in Medieval England.  As such, the language can be archaic and quaint, so having unusual words defined as I read was a tremendous help. Also included in the book are historical notes  My daughter Sarah, who is 13, also read the books and enjoyed them.  I liked that the books, although  not a “light” read, kept her attention through the power of a great story.  Other editing features are historical notes, maps and timelines.  These features are added to various books where needed.

Cover II.indd       As you visit the website for Salem Ridge Press, you can find four broad categories that will help you easily find  books that are right for your family.  You can search Alphabetically, by Time Period and Location, by Author, and finally by age range.  I was impressed to find books for all age ranges, from beginning readers of about six, to adult readers. Books are available in both hardcover and softcover. A few titles are available in clothbound heirloom binding.  The prices range from $10.95 to $28.95.

     In my opinion, one  of the greatest strengths of this company is their large selection of Historical Fiction.  Their Historical Fiction includes: Church History, US History and World History. The Church History series of books that Salem Ridge Press republishes are by Emma Leslie.  She wrote a collection of church history books in the 1800’s that span the time frame of Paul,the apostle, to the Methodist Revivals of the 1800’s.  So far 12 books in this series have been republished, and another 12 are coming.  Two of these I reviewed, Dearer Than Life and The Captives, and I am looking forward to reading more.  US History books include the time frame of Colonial America and the Revolutionary War.  The World History books include Egypt and the French Revolution.

     Salem Ridge Press is a company dedicated to providing high quality, well-written, wholesome books.  Through my review of this company and sampling of their products, I found that they have achieved their goal. If you are looking for great books that challenge your intellect and leave you wanting to read more, check them out.

     If you want to know what my other Crewmates are saying click here.

As an Independent contractor for The Old Schoolhouse and member of TOS Homeschool Crew I received three books from Salem Ridge Press for free in exchange for my honest review of their products.

4 comments:

Cara (aka Temberton) said...

HI, I'm visiting from the Crew. I enjoyed your review. I received those same books and it was interesting to read where we agreed...and the things you mentioned that I didn't. Great job!

Denise said...

Great review! I like how you shared info about the website and how the books are listed. By the way, I LOVE your blog background!

SisterTipster said...

Awsome, Jill! Looks like they've expanded their line..will go ck them out! Thanks for stopping by Telln' It! ;-))

Vickie said...

Great post! You really captured what Salem Ridge Press is about.