Cross Stitch (Outlander 1) [Paperback]

Diana Gabaldon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 3, 1994 | Series: Outlander 1

The first in a trilogy of time travel historical fiction. Set in Scotland, and spanning two centuries, this book takes its heroine from 1945 to 1743. Her love life with a Scottish soldier teaches her that a man's instinct to cherish the woman he loves is as old as time.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Outlander, a 600-page time-travel romance, strong-willed and sensual Claire Randall leads a double life with a husband in one century, and a lover in another. Torn between fidelity and desire, she struggles to understand the pure intent of her heart. But don't let the number of pages and the Scottish dialect scare you. It's one of the fastest reads you'll have in your library.

While on her second honeymoon in the British Isles, Claire touches a boulder that hurls her back in time to the forbidden Castle Leoch with the MacKenzie clan. Not understanding the forces that brought her there, she becomes ensnared in life-threatening situations with a Scots warrior named James Fraser. But it isn't all spies and drudgery that she must endure. For amid her new surroundings and the terrors she faces, she is lured into love and passion like she's never known before.

I was lame and sore in every muscle when I woke next morning. I shuffled to the privy closet, then to the wash basin. My innards felt like churned butter. It felt as though I had been beaten with a blunt object, I reflected, then thought that that was very near the truth. The blunt object in question was visible as I came back to bed, looking now relatively harmless. Its possessor [Jamie] woke as I sat next to him, and examined me with something that looked very much like male smugness."

Gabaldon creates characters that you'll remember, laugh with, cry with, and cheer for long after you've finished the book. --Candy Paape --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Absorbing and heartwarming, this first novel lavishly evokes the land and lore of Scotland, quickening both with realistic characters and a feisty, likable heroine. English nurse Claire Beauchamp Randall and husband Frank take a second honeymoon in the Scottish Highlands in 1945. When Claire walks through a cleft stone in an ancient henge, she's somehow transported to 1743. She encounters Frank's evil ancestor, British captain Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall, and is adopted by another clan. Claire nurses young soldier James Fraser, a gallant, merry redhead, and the two begin a romance, seeing each other through many perilous, swashbuckling adventures involving Black Jack. Scenes of the Highlanders' daily life blend poignant emotions with Scottish wit and humor. Eventually Sassenach (outlander) Claire finds a chance to return to 1945, and must choose between distant memories of Frnak and her happy, uncomplicated existence with Jamie. Claire's resourcefulness and intelligent sensitivity make the love-conquers-all, happily-ever-after ending seem a just reward. Doubleday Book Club main selection, Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 864 pages
• Publisher: Rowan (March 3, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0099911701
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 1.6 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

421 of 457 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is the English version of Outlander, October 18, 2005

By 

SciFi lover "Amy" (DC Metro Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cross Stitch (Outlander 1) (Paperback)

For those who view this page to see what books other than Outlander that Diana Gabaldon wrote, look somewhere else. This is Outlander but published under a different name in Britain. Since it wasn't stated anywhere, I thought I might clarify it. I loved Outlander so I gave it 5 stars, though 4 1/2 might be more correct.

71 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Emotionally Satisfying, November 14, 2006

By 

Kelly Ballard (Gold Coast, AU) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cross Stitch (Outlander 1) (Paperback)

To clarify further from other reviews, this version of Outlander was also published in Australia which is where I purchased a copy.

Cross Stitch takes you on the most unbelievable rollercoaster road as far as your emotions are concerned. I think I cried about 7 times at various different points throughout the book, sometimes from joy and other times from sadness. It is a fierce and passionate love story as well as being an accurate interpretation of life in the 1700 & 1900's, with many historical references throughout.

The main character Claire is a strong, intelligent and sometimes feisty woman who is very lovable. She's married to Frank Randall in the year 1945 and manages to go back in time to the year 1743 in which she meets Frank's sinister ancestor Captain Black Jack Randall and flees into the arms of a few Scottish clansmen. That's when the real story begins!

What really impressed me about this book was Gabaldon's realistic interpretation of the historical events of England and Scotland and the way in which she paints the world the characters live in. It ignited a passion in me to learn more about the times for that particular era which no other book I've read has been able to do. Having never been to the UK, I find myself wanting to visit the Scottish highlands and see for myself the landscapes that she painted so vividly in my mind and to visit their forts and castles.

Cross Stitch is a highly satisfying book, which gets my hearty vote of 5 out of 5!

54 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a Romance - but an amazing adventure, July 18, 2007

By 

C. Cook (Charlotte, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cross Stitch (Outlander 1) (Paperback)

I have read the entire series from Outlander(thanks for pointing out that Cross Stitch was the same, thought I found another one!) through A Breathe of Snow and Ashes at least 3 times now. The comments from the 2 star are very sad indeed. Perhaps they should have taken the time to read the entire book/series and then would understand that scene was consistant with the era and NEVER happened again! I also think you should understand that this series has been mis-labeled as a romance. It is much more than that - its an adventure! Its about their lives and how they just seem to fall into the craziest predicaments.

I can hardly wait for the next installment. I check Gabaldon's site constantly in anticipation of the next one.