Catherine Marshall
Catherine Marshall was an influential American writer and the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, born on September 27, 1914, in Johnson City, Tennessee. She graduated from Agnes Scott College in 1936 and married Peter Marshall, also a Presbyterian minister, later that same year. Following a serious illness that led to a profound spiritual experience, she began her writing career, focusing on inspirational Christian themes. Her first notable work, "Mr. Jones, Meet the Master," was an edited collection of her husband's sermons that became a best-seller. Marshall continued to gain recognition with her biography of her husband, "A Man Called Peter," which was adapted into a successful film.
In addition to her non-fiction, she authored the beloved young adult novel "Christy," inspired by her mother's life, which explores themes of love and faith within a rich narrative set in the Appalachian Mountains. Throughout her career, she was known for her light and engaging writing style, which resonated with readers. After her death in 1983, her works continued to be published and remain popular, reflecting her enduring inspirational appeal to audiences. Marshall's contributions to Christian literature and her ability to convey the power of faith through her characters' lives have solidified her legacy as a significant figure in American religious writing.
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Catherine Marshall
Writer
- Born: September 27, 1914
- Birthplace: Johnson City, Tennessee
- Died: March 18, 1983
- Place of death: Boynton Beach, Florida
Biography
Catherine Marshall was born on September 27, 1914, in Johnson City, Tennessee, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. She attended Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, graduating with a B.A. in 1936. She married Peter Marshall, a Presbyterian minister, in 1936, and the couple had a son, Peter John.
In 1943, Marshall contracted a serious case of tuberculosis that kept her in bed for two years. Although she had always been religious, it was during her illness that she had her first spiritual experience, and she attributed her recovery to the healing presence of Christ. She would become known as an inspirational Christian writer.
Peter Marshall became chaplain of the U.S. Senate in 1947, a position he held until his death from a heart attack in 1949. Marshall’s first book was an edited volume of her husband’s sermons, Mr. Jones, Meet the Master, which became a best-seller. This book was followed by a biography of her husband, A Man Called Peter: The Story of Peter Marshall, which was another nonfiction best-seller, considered highly inspirational by the public and charmingly and gracefully written by the critics. The book was made into a popular film by Twentieth Century Fox studios in 1955. Marshall continued to edit volumes of her husband’s prayers and sermons, and in 1957 she published an autobiographical book, To Live Again, which includes an account of her experience with tuberculosis and faith.
Marshall’s young adult novel, Christy, was based on her mother’s life as a teacher in the Appalachian Mountains. The novel describes her mother’s affection for the mountain people and the growth of her faith amid a background of romance, as she was torn between her love of a mountain doctor and a mountain preacher. Christy has been enduring in its popularity. The book was made into a television film in 1994 and was the basis for the Christy series, twelve short adaptations for younger readers, written by C. Archer in the 1990’s.
Marshall and her second husband, Leonard E. LeSourd, founded the religious publishing house Chosen Books in the mid- 1970’s. Marshall wrote a number of popular inspirational books, including Adventures in Prayer and The Helper, for the new religious imprint. She continued to edit Peter Marshall’s writings and to write books on prayer, some of them coauthored with LeSourd.
Marshall died in 1983 of heart failure which was a complication of her previous bout with tuberculosis. A second young adult novel, Julie, a coming-of-age story based on Marshall’s own life, was published posthumously.
Marshall’s writing has enduring inspirational appeal to a wide audience. Her edited inspirational writings continued to appear through the 1980’s, 1990’s, and into the twenty- first century. A new edition of Christy was published in 2001, and a new edition of Julie appeared in 2002. Marshall is known for her light and entertaining style, which demonstrates the power of love and faith in her own and in her characters’ lives.