The Complete Letters of Constance Fenimore Woolson

by Sharon L. Dean (Editor)

In recent years Constance Fenimore Woolson (1840-1894) has been fictionalized at least three times, perhaps most notably in Colm Toibin's award-winning work "The Master," a novelization of the life of Woolson's close friend Henry James. But Woolson was a literary star in her own right, publishing in the premier magazines of her day. She penned critically acclaimed novels, short stories, and poetry until her mysterious death in Venice at age fifty-three.Sharon Dean has recompiled, dated, and, in many cases, physically reassembled all of Woolsons extant correspondence from nearly forty sources. Dean's painstaking work presents the fullest picture we have of Woolson and functions as an important corrective to the fictional portrayals. In these letters one finds rich personal detail alongside ruminations on contemporary political and social conditions. A trenchant critic of the customs and mores of her age, Woolson, in her letters, offers a nuanced perspective on life as a woman and as a writer in the nineteenth century.

653 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Sharon L. Dean grew up in Massachusetts where she was immersed in the literature of New England. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of New Hampshire, a state she lived and taught in before moving to Oregon. Although she has given up writing scholarly books that require footnotes, she incorporates much of her academic research as background in her mysteries. She is the author of three Susan Warner mysteries and three Deborah Strong mysteries. Her collection Six Old Women and Other Stories explores settings in New Hampshire. Leaving Freedom has been re-released in June 2023 along with a sequel, Finding Freedom. Dean continues to write about New England while she is discovering the beauty of the West.

Reviews

[Anne Rioux · Rating 5 out of 5]

A monumental accomplishment. Thank you Sharon Dean for opening up the person behind the works. Constance Fenimore Woolson was not only an amazing writer but a fascinating person.