RANDOM JOTTINGS

A blog about music, sports, theatre and rants

Long time blogger just moved to wordpress. Love music, theatre, movies, sport (tennis and cricket) and cooking. Two great daughters, two great granddaughters.

Frances Hodgson Burnett

When I posted about LM Montgomery and showed you a picture of my collection, I received a comment from Rachel who has the most super blog at http://www.books-snob.blogspot.com who said that she collects Frances Hodgson Burnett and when I said I did the same, said she would love to see  a picture of my FHB pile.  Never backward in coming forward, I am now obliging and here are some pics for you all to see.  Do check out Rachel's blog as well which I love as she reads the same books as I do – she has just re-read Little Women for a start and she adores Virago books and Dorothy Whipple so really, she is a Kindred Spirit and one from the race that knows Joseph…

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The Making of a Marchioness was originally published in two parts and while I have the Persephone edition, I simply love these.  I also have another little copy picked up in Hay on Wye recently which was only £2 and looked so lonely on the shelf that I had to bring it home with me.

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And, again, though I have the Persephone edition of The Shuttle, it has been edited and this wonderful copy is the full version.  Don't you love this cover?  This is a 1907 edition and is in marvellous nick. I picked it up for about £2 in a bookshop and inside is the inscription "To Miss Ethel Coulson with compliments of Emma Dickson – Commencement April 1910"  Isn't that wonderful?

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and here they all are – the sharp eyed will see multiple copies of The Secret Garden (different illustrators, Shepherd and Rackham to name but two); The Head of the House of Coombe and Robin and The Shuttle.  One of my favourites is The Lost Prince one of her children's books which doesn't seem to be as well known as Garden or Fauntleroy but I simply love it.  One thing to remember with FHB is that though she is famous for the Secret Garden et al, most of her books were written for adults and they are well worth tracking down.

I shall now start taking pictures of my other collections I think to thrill and delight you with – bet you can't wait….

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7 responses to “Frances Hodgson Burnett”

  1. The Literary Stew Avatar
    The Literary Stew

    What a wonderful collection! Thanks for giving us a little peek into it. I love those covers of FHB. I’ve only read the Shuttle and am so looking forward to hunting down more of her books for adults and reading the children’s books as well.
    I love Rachel’s blog too and it’s because of her I’m currently and finally reading Little Women. It’s lovely so far.

    Reply
  2. Jenny Avatar
    Jenny

    I understand why most of Burnett’s books have been (more or less) forgotten, but I so enjoy them! My little sister is planning to write her senior thesis on Burnett’s adult books and their portrayal of gender roles. We both read Head of the House of Coombe & Robin at the same time, and we kept calling each other up to read passages to each other. It’s nice to see someone else knows about these books too!

    Reply
  3. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    The one I’m thinking of was called “Happily Ever After,” and was I believe written by a relative. It seemed to be pretty positive, so I may have to look for the Gerzina for the full story!

    Reply
  4. Erika Avatar
    Erika

    I have always been entranced by FHB’s autobiography of her early years “The One I knew the best of All”. Although she glosses over the really bad times she sheds the sentiment which slops around her other books. One of my favorites is her ghost story “In the Closed Room”. It always interests me when authors step into this genre, her other one being “The White People” I pride myself on having 18 FHB titles, many of them first editions, but you have beaten me! (But no duplicates)I look forward to other samples from your collection–It will let us know your favorites won’t it?

    Reply
  5. Elaine Simpson-Long Avatar
    Elaine Simpson-Long

    Rachel – this is why I like LMM as well as FHB. Both designated as writers for children now and yet for most of their lives their books were intended for adults. Yes, even Anne of Green Gables. An illustration of the book cover for Anne in the biog I have just read shows this.
    Rebecca – Is it the Gerzina one? I read that some time back and found it fascinating. As with the LMM biography, another totally different side revealed. I don’t think it is a coincidence that both these authors had nervous problems – they both had husbands who were unsatisfactory to say the least and the household depended upon their earnings. LM Alcott is another who kept the family going as her parents were pretty poor in this regard, ditto Fanny Trollope. These indomitable Victorian women are just amazing!

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  6. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    Another lovely collection! Those covers are beautiful.
    You’ve just reminded me that I have her biography on a shelf somewhere. I started it a while ago and perhaps now it’s time to pull it back out!

    Reply
  7. Rachel Avatar
    Rachel

    Oh Elaine! What a compliment! Thank you so much for posting those photos and also for mentioning me. Such a surprise! I am blushing away here!
    I LOVE your collection, it makes mine look positively small in comparison! The jewels of my collection are my first editions of A Little Princess and The Secret Garden…they are just beautiful. What I love the most about Frances Hodgson Burnett is that she writes equally well for both adults and children; she is very rare in that respect.
    My next read is definitely going to be an FHB now! When I blog about it I’ll be sure to post a photo of my whole collection for you.

    Reply

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