The Books

The Lamplighter Rare Collector Series is a beautifully bound collection of inspiring, captivating, character-building literature, carefully selected and handsomely crafted. Each work reflects the skill and highly polished imagination of its writer. Engaging plots move with breathtaking mystery, drama, and adventure while insightful themes lay the foundation for the framework of character development and the pursuit of excellence. The dominant theme is hope—hope that does not disappoint, because nothing is impossible with God! Lamplighter books are most loved for their characters. From the very first chapter, a bond is formed between the characters and the reader, resulting in a vicarious experience that leads to reflective thought and life change. It is our commitment that each Lamplighter book instills moral values through role models that either demonstrate exemplary behavior or suffer the consequences of making wrong choices. A riveting plot, a worthy theme, and endearing characters will motivate readers, both young and old, to adopt a similar moral code by emulating the characters that have now been etched into their awakened conscience. 

Do you edit the books from the original?

We are often posed with the question "Do you edit the books from the original version?".

I believe this letter will give insight to how we edited Lamplighter books.

While I am writing I will tell you of one of my experiences. We were in a church in Minnesota holding a revival meeting and I had the Lamplighter books out on our book table. One of the ladies of the church said to one of the other ladies that those books are not good! When the lady who was told this information came to me, I was really surprised so I approached the one who had made the comment. Her reason was that she had read Teddy's Button and the plan of salvation was not Biblical in the book. It had been awhile since I had read the book but I was sure that I would have picked up on that because it is my policy to be very careful with what is out on my table. I told her I would look the book over and at the trailer that evening I sat down to do just that and wouldn't you know it?! I opened right up to the page where Teddy trusted Christ! It was definitely the Lord that led me. As we talked further the following evening, the lady realized that she had read an original and not the one that Lamplighter puts out. Well, that explained it because it says in the front that Mark Hamby had edited the book. It made me very glad that you are careful to put out books that are Biblical in what they say and gave me more confidence in providing this reading material for families. The lady was very gracious to realize this and it turned out to be a very good experience for both of us.

I also appreciated the humble spirit in which you correct an error in one of your recent books. Thank you for that!

Sincerely in Christ,

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION
OF SOME LAMPLIGHTER BOOKS…

The Lamplighter –
In 1854, this book saw sales of 40,000 copies within a few weeks of publishing.  Within a year, sales had eclipsed 70,000.  The book received international acclaim and outsold the Scarlet Letter giving Nathaniel Hawthorne cause to utter his famous complaint to his publisher that “America is now wholly given over to a d***d mob of scribbling women.”  This book was a literary icon in its day.  Temple University uses this book as a literature textbook.  It was the third best selling book in the country at the close of the Civil War.  It is because of the literary and moral quality of this book and because of the powerful influence it has had in character-building that Lamplighter Ministries chose it as their flagship work.
 
A Peep Behind the Scenes –
Though not written in the same time period as the Scarlet Letter, A Peep Behind the Scenes sold more than two and a half million copies by the late 1800’s, outselling the Scarlet Letter and most best selling books of the 19th century.

The Wide, Wide World – 2 vols. -
This text is believed to be the first American novel to sell one million copies.  Susan Warner published this book under the pseudonym Elizabeth Wetherell, and which not only proved to be highly popular, but was widely sold in several translations.  This was the book being read by “Jo” in the book Little Women.

Titus: A Comrade of the Cross – 
This book was originally printed for sixth graders in 1896.  The author received an award for $1000 for writing the text.  The demand was so great that within six weeks of initial printing, a further 200,000 copies were ordered.
 
The Pillar of Fire –
This work was published in the mid-1800’s and was listed as the second most popular book in America the day the Civil War ended.  It is considered to have one of the most descriptive accounts of the Nile river culture and Egyptian history.
 
True Stories of Great Americans for Young Americans –
Historical primary source material was used to craft this compilation in the nineteenth century.  It is a collection of true accounts of the great men and women who made significant contributions to our American way of life. This work represents a solid diversion from the revisionist history that permeates current historical texts.
  
Shipwrecked, But Not Lost –
This inspiring story has been considered to be a true account of two boys who are marooned on an island in the Arctic. Their recounting of the experience reveals details of animals, plants, and weather phenomenon that could only be attributed to an eyewitness.  The story has become more believable with the substantiated account of Shakleton and his forty-one men who lived to tell of their eighteen month ordeal stranded in the Arctic ice.

Joel: A Boy of Galilee –
This classic is listed in the F.A.C.E. educational listing and continues to be a best seller.

That Printer of Udell’s –
Ronald Reagan, in his memoirs, listed this book as having had significant influence on his life.  In speaking of the book fifty years after reading he said it left him with "an abiding belief in the triumph of good over evil." The book, he said, contained "heroes who lived by standards of morality and fair play."  He also gave credit to this work for, in part, helping to prepare him for the presidency.

The Boys of Grit series –True accounts of some of the most celebrated American’s and Europeans in history.  Men like Samuel Morse, Robert Fulton, Andrew Carnegie, John Wannamaker, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, David Thoreau, and Booker T. Washington are just a few of the people presented in this inspirational account of boys whose lives were extraordinary.  The most significant aspect of these books is that they take you back to the boyhood of these men to show what experiences and influences shaped their lives and what character attributes they exhibited through their trials and hardshps.

The Children of Cloverley –   
What means might God use to mold a boy into a man? In The Children of Cloverley, we see how God can use dire and painful events to tear a brother and a sister from their home and cast them to yonder lands to grow into useful servants of the King. Watch the hearts of the English countryside melt as they come into contact with a precious little girl whose soul desire is to honor God with every act of her life. Nobody is too young to be used of God to accomplish great things.