Except for me and thee

These further adventures of Jess and Eliza Birdwell, the beloved hero and heroine of ''The Friendly Persuasion,'' are cause for celebration to the millions who have met them in Jessamyn West's memorable book.

Here are those gallant Quakers, young and in love, meeting the challenges of nature and man as the growing family travels westward, then encountering the bitterness and savagery that explode into the Civil War, later guiding their children through the confusing aftermath, and, finally, looking at their world with bittersweet maturity. For all its fascinating differences, their world confronts dilemmas strikingly contemporary - youthful rebellion, racial intolerance, social inequity, and warfare's misery. To each, Miss West brings deep and meaningful insights.