The Diary of a Saint

"The Diary of a Saint" by Arlo Bates is a story told through the personal diary of Ruth Privet, a young woman in the early 1900's as she welcomes the New Year. The book explores how Ruth struggles with faith, who she is as a person, and the tough choices of love and responsibility with the backdrop of changing times. Beginning with her thoughts and feelings shared in diary entries, she expresses the beauty of the world around her, the difficulty of caring for her sick mom, and her promise to marry George Weston. During the opening portion of the book, we meet her friends and family that are a big part of her life and thoughts, particularly concerning her confusing feelings about love and religion. Grappling with the expectations set by society and her own sense of right and wrong, Ruth questions her long engagement.