Sarah Winchester, My Neighbor

by Edith Daley, Jim Fitzgerald (Editor)

The Winchester Mystery House is among America’s most famous - and most haunted - houses. It attracts visitors from around the world.

Everyone wants to see the curious house built by Sarah Lockwood Winchester... and understand what drove her to be sure the house was never completed.

Did Mrs. Winchester truly believe she would die if she ever stopped building?

History - and the house itself - suggest that’s true.

This short book is a memoir about Sarah Winchester, written by one of her neighbors.

In it, you'll learn more about the personal life - and quirks - of the widow, the secret room where she went each night, and both her odd and charitable works.

Read this book to learn more about the enigma that was Sarah Winchester.

Genres: History

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2018

Reviews

[Kathryn Halbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I grew up living in walking distance from the Winchester Mystery House in an area that is today, sadly, anything but charming. I visited the house twice as a child, but never as an adult thanks to the high tour costs. I remember liking it a great deal and wishing I could live there though it was certainly worse for wear. Given my proximity and the strangeness of the Winchester story, of course I'm intrigued.

Regrettably, much of what we know about Sarah Winchester is myth and hearsay promoted by the owners of the building who, it should be remembered, have a strong motivation to peddle the most sensational version of events. A first hand account from a neighbor sounded more intimate and illuminating.The

Alas, no.

The author might just well have been a random passerby on the street who decided to write an article. She had no first hand information beyond having walked in the garden once after Sarah's death. Writing multiple articles on the subject comes off feeling like a cheap attempt to cash in on having a famous recluse neighbor who probably wouldn't have liked it to be written had she been in a position to know about it. Additionally, the author claimed to have a single informant who was a regular guest at the house, but never named him, which seems contradictory to her numerous assertions that visitors were rarely ever permitted, especially not past a certain room. Naming a source would lend a lot of credibility to the anecdotes. Why would the source refuse to be named even though Mrs. Winchester was no longer around to be offended by his loose lips? That's my main question after reading this.

I'm not sure that I cared for having the original text edited to be more palatable to a modern audience, especially not as there were several bad typos.

In short, it's good that there's an account of some sort from back then but it's frustratingly unsatisfying.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by one of Sarah Winchester's neighbours. Although this is quite a short book, I found it interesting and intriguing to read. Edith Daley was a neighbour of Sarah for many years, although she never actually met her or ever went in her house. The Winchester House is now open to the public, but this book highlights was it was like to live near this strange and elusive lady from another perspective. Edith goes into great detail about the never ending building work that was going on with the house, and the rooms that kept being added. She describes how there was a constant noise of tapping and banging - only stopping when Mrs Winchester herself passed away.

I found this book very interesting to read what it was like living next door to Sarah Winchester. As I say, it's quite a short book, but still very interesting nonetheless.

[Robert W. Meyerholtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good tribute to Sarah Winchester

A good anecdotal account and tribute to one of the most famous eccentrics, Sarah Winchester as told by a neighbor after Sarah Winchester's death. Edith Daley lived for a long time as her neighbor but never met her, relying on her observations and stories from those who did know Mrs. Winchester. A good introduction to Sarah Winchester's private life, some in good detail, some too brief but still educating the curious reader.

[Susan Csoke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives the reader a bit of an insight about the famous mystery woman >> Sarah Winchester.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting viewpoint of an outsider into the life of Sarah Winchester. It was obvious that other accounts from different people were taken into account when writing this book.

[Nermal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

As someone who has visited the mansion, it is a beautiful story of the mansion and it's occupant. Would definitely recommend. A good read.

[Will Phillipson]

bought book - amazon kindle