Christian Biographies for Young Readers - Marie Durand

Book Description:

In 1730, nineteen-year-old Marie Durand was arrested and taken from her home in a village in Southern France for the crime of having a brother who was a Protestant preacher. Imprisoned in the Tower of Constance, Marie would spend the next thirty-eight years there.

Simonetta Carr introduces us to the inspiring life of a woman who could have recanted her Protestant faith and gained release, but held fast to the truth-and encouraged others to do so as well. Beautiful illustrations, a simply told story, and interesting facts acquaint young readers with the challenges facing Protestants in eighteenth-century France and show them that even a life spent in prison can be lived in service to Christ and to others.

 Author:

Simonetta Carr was born in Italy and has lived and worked in different cultures. A former elementary school teacher, she has home-schooled her eight children for many years. She has written for newspapers and magazines around the world and has translated the works of several Christian authors into Italian. Presently, she lives in San Diego with her husband, Thomas, and family. She is a member and Sunday school teacher at Christ United Reformed Church.

Illustrator:  Matt Abraxas has traveled from California to France, studying different approaches to art. He enjoys creating and teaching art and currently exhibits his work at the SmithKlein Gallery in Boulder, Colorado. Matt lives with his wife, Rebecca, and two sons, Zorba and Rainer, in Lafayette, Colorado.

Endorsements:

"Simonetta opens a window into Marie Durand's life and world, giving us a glimpse of what French Protestants experienced during the reigns of King Louis XIV and of his great-grandson, Louis XV of France. We admire their courage and tenacity and desire to follow their example of faithful perseverance under trial, thus bringing glory to God. I'm sure that readers will enjoy this beautifully produced book as they learn about an era in French church history that not many are exposed to." - Françoise Anderson, librarian at Bethel Seminary, San Diego, and author of a forthcoming biography of Pierre and Marie Durand

"A wonderful and engaging story of courage, faith, and hope in an era of persecution, this story of the trials and tribulations of Marie Durand is sure to inspire many." - Martin Klauber, affiliate professor of church history, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

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