Fans of the Hallmark Channel may be pleased to learn more about today's special feature: When Calls the Heart by Jannette Oke.
When Calls The Heart is not the first book published by Miss Oke. Oke was born in 1935 in Alberta, Canada, and she has lived in Canada most of her life. She grew up in rural Canada and experienced firsthand the Great Depression, as well as the slow urbanization of Canada, which remains fairly sparse and concentrated today. As a young woman she attended Mountain View Bible College in Calgary where she met her future husband. Oke's published her first novel, Love Comes Softly, in 1975, and most of her works are set in the late 19th and early 20th century in Canada.
When Calls the Heart is Oke's 4th or 5th book, the first in the Canadian West series. In 1983, this marked the beginning of her third series of books, which she took turns publishing over the years. When Calls the Heart tells the story of a young urban socialite Elizabeth Thatcher who recently became a schoolteacher. She receives a letter inviting her to move out West, where there is a great need of teachers. Elizabeth therefore packs up and moves to then-rural Calgary, and an even more rural town called Pine Springs, where she is the new schoolmistress.
When Calls the Heart was not the first book by Oke, nor the first in this particular genre, but it quickly became well-known as a work of historical fiction, or more specifically, inspirational fiction. The overall themes of the novel, and those of the rest of the series, center on the hardships of rural life, and the strong moral compass that the characters near universally rely on: their Christian faith. Thus, the series is less about the actual historical nature of life in rural Canada and more about the faith-related morals and how such a faith guides the various characters of the story.
The book went on to being Oke's most well known and well-received novel over the years. Since the original publication, it has been rereleased a few times, as well as being adapted, first into a movie, and later into a hit television show.
This 2013 served as the pilot for the television show by the same name. The film and early series was produced by Michael Landon Jr., son of of Michael Landon, most known for producing the Little House on the Prairie series for television. The film and series are not without revision, however, as the star is a new Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher named after her aunt, another young teacher who moved out west. This Elizabeth follows a very similar story, also moving to a small town and befriending a member of the Canadian Mounted Police, Jack Thornton. The movie tells more or less the same plot as the book, and from there followed by the television series, produced and shown by Hallmark.
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The series is currently airing its 11th season, with a 12th season in production as of this month. The series so far follows a trend of each season covering a year of time before the next season (the 10th season taking place approximately in 1920). Fans of the show have watched time progress around the series, with changes in both cast and updates to the scenery. For instance, the local saloon, ever a favorite haunt by the residents, now features a radio!
The series has also received a spin-off, called When Hope Calls. The series is based on another of Oke's books, also taking place in Canada. You can read more about that series here, opens a new window.
Thank you for reading!
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