France, in the year 1838, was undergoing a period of political and economic chaos. Poverty and misery were common everywhere. The only hope of the poor rested with individual benefactors like Prince Rudolf, the Grand Duke of Gerolstein. Disguised merely as M. Gerolstein, he goes about giving aid only to those poor who despite adversity, have remained virtuous. Those who have turned criminal , he brings to justice for the punishment they deserve.
The Pillars of the Earth sweeps through four decades of 12th Century England drawing the listener into the raw, flamboyant middle ages. It is a shining saga of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty. Not-so-noble knights, righteous heroes, valiant heroines and both virtuous and immoral men of God highlight this story. They manipulate, and are in turn manipulated by, the political turmoil and unrest between the reigns of Henry I and Henry II. The listener will cheer on the fates of the virtuous and hiss at the evil-doers. A truly fascinating story that the listener will never forget.
The Wise Woman is a parable or fairy tale written by George MacDonald, and is one of his better known works. This delightful story describes the activities of a "good witch" in developing the virtuous characters of two young girls: one of whom responds positively, the other negatively. In this story, MacDonald uses the character of the witch to convey how God pursues persons from all backgrounds, and how only He can enable them to embrace virtuous living. (Summary by Godsend)
