Re-Creations
1924
Re-Creations is a 1924 novel by Grace Livingston Hill that follows Cornelia Copley, a young woman who must abandon her college dreams to care for her ailing mother and struggling family. As she returns home, she confronts the harsh realities of poverty and familial discord, leading her to reflect on her own self-centeredness. The story explores themes of sacrifice, responsibility, and the balance between personal aspirations and family obligations, ultimately depicting Cornelia's journey towards self-discovery and growth.
Editions
X-Ray
“You know it really doesn’t matter about clothes if we look clean and neat and behave well. I think we’ve been placing too high a value on looks anyway. Of course looks do count a little, but they are, after all, only a trifle beside real worth. And, if we can’t impress that girl with our refinement by our actions, why, we can put on all the clothes in the universe, and we won’t be able to do it any better.””
— Grace Livingston Hill
“The wallpaper was an ugly, dirty dark red, with tarnished gold designs, torn in places and hanging down, greasy and marred where chairs had rubbed against it and heads had apparently leaned. It certainly was not a charming interior. She curled her lip slightly as she took it all in. This was her home! And she a born artist and interior decorator!””
— Grace Livingston Hill
“Of course, she was sorry her mother was sick, but Father spoke hopefully, confidently about her, and the rest would probably do her good. It wasn’t as if Mother were hopelessly ill. She was thankful as any of them that that had not come. But Mother had always understood her aspirations, and if she were only at home she would show Father how unreasonable it was for her to have to give up now when only a year and a half more and the goal would be reached and she could become a contributing member of the family, rather than just a housekeeper!””
— Grace Livingston Hill
