Around the World with Gloria Whelan

S ome authors are easily recognizable from their style and regular themes. Others continually surprise you by popping up with novels set in England, then a series set in Russia, and then another tale set in India. How could one author be so adept at weaving believable stories set in foreign lands and at distant times? It’s certainly a gift, and award-winning author Gloria Whelan has graciously shared hers with countless readers.

I’ve been dipping in and out of Whelan’s books for many years now, sometimes reading new ones but often tracking down and rereading old favorites. At the top of the list of books I’ve revisited is her Angel on the Square series, four novels set in Russia and following one family from the Bolshevik Revolution to the fall of the Soviet Union. History and culture go seamlessly together here, as we learn about Russia in the “twilight of the tzars” from the daughter of Empress Alexandra’s lady in waiting. Then, we follow the narrator’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren as they struggle through exile, starvation, World War II, and more, never giving up hope that Russia will one day be free of the crushing Communist oppression.

In stark contrast to Russia’s frigid winters and Orthodox prayers, Homeless Bird takes us to India where we meet Koly. This talented young embroiderer seems doomed to a life of drudgery, but through determination and with the help of kind strangers, she forges a stable, fulfilling life for herself. Just as Whelan carefully describes the icy Neva River, so too does she paint for us the hectic street scenes of Vrindavan, where Koly has been abandoned by an unscrupulous mother-in-law. She draws readers in through her descriptions of the Indian seasons, the chanting of forlorn widows, and Koly’s magnificent pictures painted with needle and thread.

Whelan’s storytelling style is measured, detailed, and full of color, with vivid, well-placed descriptions of landscapes and food. First-person narration is often used, but somehow Whelan manages to vary her tone in each novel and make each protagonist stand out. We know how her characters are feeling and what they are thinking, but there is no boiling current of emotion running through her stories. They flow easily, rising and falling: “Detached” is an appropriate word.

This manner of writing may flow from Whelan’s background in poetry. Born in 1923, Whelan is now into her 101st year and still living in her native Michigan. In a lovely interview that she did with some schoolchildren and their teacher back in 2001, readers learn of her love for nature, how her first book was published when she was 55, how she met her husband, and how long it takes her to write a book. It’s clear, both from her writing and from this interview, that Whelan takes pride in doing proper research, even traveling around her home state to collect stories and scenes for her books that are set locally.

Picture books are also included in Whelan’s canon, and the delightful title Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine easily catches the eye. Told in rhyme, this amusing book tells us of Queen Victoria’s love for swimming, her desire to do so modestly, and her beloved husband’s clever creation to satisfy her desires. A Whelan favorite of mine, which we read at home on the great saint’s feast each year, is The Miracle of Saint Nicholas. This book shows the hardships of Christians in a Russian village who must worship in secret, and their longing to celebrate Christmas in the boarded-up church. The beautiful illustrations take their cues from iconography, and we follow along eagerly with young Alexi as he works to make this Christmas special for his family.

These are books to capture the imagination and broaden the mind. Whelan writes gracefully about many topics, from Native Americans to ballet dancers to the plight of India’s widows. If you’ve ever wanted to travel the world, know that by reading Gloria Whelan, you can do so from the comfort of home.