American Century Books

Meet the Stuart family: eight children raised in the hills of Arkansas by their godly and determined mother, Marian, who does her best to lead her children to Christ. But as her three oldest, Lylah, Amos, and Owen, each decide to go their own ways, none seem to follow the path Marian has laid out for them. Set at the turn of the twentieth century, this first of the American Century series tells the story of a time of growth and opportunity. Filled with historical figures such as Theodore Roosevelt and James Randolph Hearst, this fascinating book will draw readers into the exciting events of the time and the lives of the family it follows. As the Stuarts mature, so does a young nation racked with uncertainty and growing pains of its own. Previously published as A Time to Be Born

Just years before America witnessed the turn of the century, the three eldest Stuart children left their home in the hills of Arkansas to pursue their dreams in the land of opportunity. Now they are back for a family reunion at the humble home they left years ago. In an unforeseeable turn of events, their visit is cut short when Lylah and Amos are required to return to the city as the world edges closer to war. Within months they find themselves and their brother Gavin deeply involved in the war efforts, but not in the ways they had ever expected. And as the conditions in Europe worsen, they must face a startling reality: before it's all over, the war could claim the life of one of their own. Will the Stuarts survive these tumultuous times and return to their family safe and sound? Or will World War I forever change the lives they know?

The war in Europe is over and a new feeling of freedom is sweeping across America. The skirts are getting shorter, the women are getting faster, and the Stuart family is caught up in a sea of changes. From the Arkansas hills to the streets of Chicago, with a stop off in Hollywood on the way, One Shining Moment will hold readers in its mesmerizing grip. From daring cross-country flights to seedy speakeasies to the Salvation Army headquarters, the Stuarts cross paths with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Rudolph Valentino, and Al Capone himself while they chase their dreams--and try to stay alive! Can the Stuart family survive in this country turned upside down?

After the tumultuous 1920s, the Stuart family and the rest of America must grapple with a terrible turn of events: the Great Depression. While grateful for what they have, the Stuarts have to watch carefully lest times get even harder. When Jerry Stuart goes to Hollywood to join Aunt Lylah, he becomes a stunt pilot. He is not prepared for the turn his life will take. And half a continent away, Uncle Pete is fighting to keep his struggling oil rig out of the hands of the mighty Kingman Oil Company. From the destitution of the Oklahoma oil fields to the glitter of Hollywood's Golden Age, this beautiful story of a family uniting to save a dream will captivate readers. And the realism borne out of Gilbert Morris's own experiences growing up during the Depression will make the settings and characters come alive.

The close-knit Stuart clan becomes personally involved in WWII when several members of its younger generation go off to fight. Will and Clint are strongly rooted in their Christian heritage, but Adam's life has been aimless and bitter. While he fights his toughest battle within himself, he endangers the men under his command. The three cousins' military exploits take them from the Arkansas hills to the jungles of Guadalcanal, from Hollywood to the forests of Germany. The Stuarts at home lean heavily on faith and family as they pray for their sons. Will the men return safely to the women and families who love them?

As a new decade begins, the United States enters the war in Korea. From Hollywood to the Ozarks, the sons and daughters of Will and Marian Stuart are living out their dreams and living the good life. The next generation of Stuarts has everything they could possibly want. Will they continue the family's legacy of faith as they launch out to pursue dreams of their own? Book 6 of the American Century series follows several of the younger Stuarts as they cope with war, disappointment, and shattered hopes. Returning to their roots on the family farm in Arkansas, they find love and healing in unexpected ways.

It is the tumultuous 1960s: Kennedy, Vietnam, the Civil Rights movement, and youth culture are on everyone's minds and lips. Prosperity and progress are undergirded with a sense of uneasiness for the Stuart family, along with the rest of the country. With a movie deal on the horizon, Bobby Stuart's star may be rising, but his descent into celebrity drug culture might be his undoing. And young love is blooming between two people who never expected it. Gilbert Morris fans will be delighted with his foray into a colorful and controversial decade. Dawn of a New Day is the final, never-before-published conclusion to the popular American Century series.