Waiting For the Party. The Life of Frances Hodgson Burnett 1849-1924

U.S.A.: David R. Godine Publisher, 1991. Paperback. Waiting For the Party. Couple of slight creases to back corner cover. A Little Princes and The Secret Garden are among the enduring classics of children's literature. But few of today's readers are aware that their author, Frances Hodgson Burnett, was one of the most famous literary figures of the Gilded Age. An extraordinary personality, Burnett rose from Tennessee poverty to become an intimate of President Garfield, Henry James, and a host of theatrical luminaries. At times domineering, even brash, she was nonetheless insecure, even at the height of her fame. Her outer life mirrored the theme of her stories, where fortunes change for the better and people invariably triumph over circumstances. She published over fifty successful books and her plays were regularly performed in London and New Yok. Yet she also made headlines for her two failed marriages, endured the death of a son, and, despite her wealth and undeniable literary success, never obtained the measure of true contentment she longed for. This book is a moving, intelligent, and fully illustrated biography of a remarkable woman's very full life; it is a portrait, as well, of her artistic milieu and the vibrant times in which she lived. Illustrated. 274 pp. (We carry a wide selection of titles in The Arts, Theology, History, Politics, Social and Physical Sciences. academic and scholarly books and Modern First Editions, Reference books ,and all types of Academic Literature.). 1st Paperback Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" Tall Octavo. Paperback.