The Peaceable Kingdom: An American Saga
(1972) is a
historical novel in two
parts by
Quaker author
Jan de Hartog.
It describes the first
meeting of George Fox and Margaret Fell, the latter's conversion, and a
portion of the history of colonial
Pennsylvania
.
Terry Linkletter of
Amazon.com has said
this about the novel:"de Hartog's novel is the best way to learn
what it means to be a
Quaker.
By looking through the
eyes of fictional characters, he takes you deep into events (some
true, some mythical) in the lives of George
Fox, Margaret Fell, William Penn, John
Woolman, and other prominent members of the sect, so you can
feel the spiritual ferment of Cromwell's England
, the
American colonies, and the young
USA. You will see a gentle Quaker farmer come to grips with
the evils of slaveholding and see how it came to be that these
people led the way in opposing that institution. Perhaps not
surprising at all is to learn how it was the Quaker women who made
the faith's continuous message of justice and non-violence a
successful influence on an injust, violent society."
The allure of the novel is in the characters' metamorphosis from
self-serving often dislikable characters, to people who work for
the good of others. The story shows the precedence of Quaker prison
reform and social justice. It also illustrates plain speech and
gives a fairly accurate portrayal of a Quaker Meeting.