The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney

by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, Elizabeth Botkin (Editor), Victoria Botkin (Narrator)

When 16-year-old Eliza Lucas's father was deployed to Antigua in 1740, he left the management of his household and three plantations in Eliza's capable hands. In these lively letters, she describes her adventures handling her father's affairs, cultivating and exporting indigo, educating her sister and the black children on the plantations, and helping to build up the economy of her fledgling colony through her many business schemes. Hear her words of encouragement and exhortation to four generations of men in her family, including her two sons, both Revolutionary War heroes, over the full and fruitful lifetime of this great mother of our country.

Selected and edited by Elizabeth Botkin, music by Elizabeth Botkin.

America has a remarkable, but largely unknown, legacy of strong, intelligent, Christian womanhood. In "Voices from the Past," Victoria Botkin will take you back to original source documents, enhanced by period music, breathing life into the very words of real heroines of American history.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction

Audio CD

First published May 1, 1997

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating woman. I want to be like her when I grow up.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney, 1739-1762 by Eliza Lucas Pinckney
The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney, 1739-1762
by Eliza Lucas Pinckney
3388686
Deborah Fulk's review Jul 24, 2016 · edit
liked it

I found this book so interesting and can't stop thinking about Eliza Pinckney and her 18th-century world! Her accomplishments as a young woman managing her father's colonial Charleston-area plantations and cultivating and experimenting with indigo (dye) are amazing! Because I am a docent at Wilton House, mid-18th century Virginia home of the Randolphs, I was especially fascinated with the parallels between Eliza and Anne Randolph. Both were widowed within 3 years of each other, left with young children, and also plantations to run. Both outlived their husbands around 30 years and both were friends of George Washington! Although Wilton has no letters or documentation regarding Anne's feelings following the sudden death of her husband before his 38th birthday, I couldn't help thinking of how Anne must have felt when I read Eliza's letters expressing great heartbreak and despair. As I was traveling to Lisbon and London while reading the book, I found it interesting that Eliza mentioned the Lisbon earthquake of 1755! Also, Eliza's husband served as a Commissioner of Trade and Plantations in London. This board commissioned the Frye-Jefferson map of 1751; a 1755 second edition hangs in the study of Wilton House. The Pinckneys lived on Craven Street in Richmond, Surrey in the 1750's. (We recently spent 4 1/2 years in Richmond.) I loved her descriptions of time enjoyed in Bath and visiting Stonehenge! Another fascinating detail was Eliza's mention of shipping live sea turtles from Charleston to London. It seems that turtle soup was quite a delicacy in the 18th century and she often made arrangements to have sea turtles shipped to friends and associates in London. A fascinating 18th-century woman. Besides her many other accomplishments, she also raised two sons who would become leaders of the American Revolution and the new United States of America. George Washington served as a pallbearer at her funeral in 1793.

[Elizabeth Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heartily enjoyed this audiobook. Originally, I sought it out as a resource for Rifles in the South Field, my in-progress historical novel. Far from being a dry historical figure, however, the Eliza I met through Victoria Botkin's narration and her own letters was a witty, generous, wise, and devout Christian woman. I admire her strong spirit, her discipline, and her humble submission to God's will. The historical details were very helpful; hearing from Eliza herself about her daily routine, the landscape of her Southern home, and her aspirations for the future were invaluable and aided me in presenting the era well. The period music that accompanies the narrative brings life to Eliza's letters. Overall, an excellent and inspiring compendium.

[Kathy May · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good follow up to “The Indigo Girl” which was loosely based on the letters of Eliza Lucas, providing more details about the amazing life of this woman.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of biography and memoir, I think I had a faulty sense of what I’d find in this book when I started. I wanted a clearer picture of who the writer was, but that was not to be found. The fact that the 10 year gap in her letters included the period when her dear friend Mrs. Pinckney died and Eliza then married her husband and had three children...well, I felt sort of robbed of the “good parts”! The internet wasn’t very helpful in this particular case, as so much of the information out there about Eliza Lucas Pinckney seems to contain the same vague, pamphlet-like prose written for school children. Trying to parse greater detail about this lady’s life was a frustrating endeavor. Additionally, while it was interesting to read the young Miss Lucas’s correspondence, the lack of standardized spelling and capitalization was quite distracting at first. This book had been on the to-read shelf for a few years, so I’m glad to have finally tackled it. It has definitely left me wanting more, so I’ll be sure to be on the lookout for a real biography going forward.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look in an 18th Century Southern woman. Pickney is by no means ordinary but her glimpses into colonial life as an upper woman in society tasked with running a household and business tells us a lot about colonial life in the 1700s.

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting - especially after reading 'The Indigo Girl'

[Sue Benicek-Gifford · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s interesting historical information.
I read the Indigo Girl and loved it so I was curious to read her letters.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's glimpse into southern aristocracy (on one level), an enterprising young woman who takes on running a plantation in her father's absence. However, it is literally a documentation of her interactions with absent family, friends and others. It isn't a story in the sense that we think of, not her life or how she ran her business. It's simply a collection of letters to different people.

I'm finding the language "different" - something to work through because of irregularities in spelling in grammar. Things were apparently different back then, so it raises a lot of questions about the development of language and how we arrived with the rules we have today. It raises questions about what it was like at that time. Sometimes it feels like something right out of an Austen novel.

I started reading it because I was interested in the story of indigo in this country. Probably, it is largely due to her influence that so much indigo was grown and produced in South Carolina before the Revolutionary War.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most inspiring. Thanks for the recommendation, Mo.
What a model of womanhood!

I re-read this in 2024 for book club. The first time I’d listened to the CD version; this time I read the book. By far, the audio version was far better! The book became ponderous and not so likable - although Ms. Pinckney is still an amazing woman!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this because I am doing research about Antigua, where Eliza Lucas was born. If you read "Indigo Girl" then this will be a good follow up memoir/letters. Not gripping, but interesting. This girl made a terrific impact on SC. But more of a research book.

[Jessica Courter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very inspiring and convicting read on the life of a true Proverbs 31 woman.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

its a great book i wrote a report on how great it was