Special thanks to AvengerA5Demigod for the recommendation.
"At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done--then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago."
~ Frances H Burnett.
Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (24 November 1849 - 29 October 1924) was a British-American novelist and playwright, born in Cheetham, Manchester, England. After her father died in 1853, the family fell on straitened circumstances and in 1865 emigrated to the United States, settling in New Market, Tennessee. Here Burnett at age 19 began to write, in order to supplement the family income, assuming full responsibility for the family upon the death of her mother, in 1870.
During her time as a writer, she was able to create beautifully written stories, often spanning the full scale of the British social hierarchy. In her early work, she was able to portray the struggles of working-class life combined with Romantic themes and unlikely plot twists.
Primarily remembered today for her trio of classic children's novels - Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886), A Little Princess (1905), and The Secret Garden (1911) - in her own days, Burnett wrote a variety of literary works, including adult fiction, children's fiction, articles, poems, and plays. In all, she wrote 55 titles, five of which went on to become best-sellers, while 13 were adapted for the stage.
She was a trend setter in her day, breaking new ground for other writers by fighting for copyright laws-both in the U.S. and in Great Britain.
Discussion Questions :
Many of Frances H Burnett's works have been made into movies. Which of them have you come across?
The Secret Garden by Burnett is a bildungsroman - a novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education.
Do you know of any other bildungsromans?
Who are your favorites among American Authors?
Always open to additional comments and discussions on Frances H Burnett and her works.
If there is another author you would like to see a discussion on, please post your suggestion in the comments below for a chance to be featured in a future chapter!
Resources:
Wikipedia: Frances H Burnett
Goodreads : Frances H Burnett
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