I thought you'd enjoy this book review by "a guy . . . not into romance narratives." He provides great insight to the historical context of the trilogy. Thanks for sharing, Curt!
By Curt Sanders
The first book of three on the courtship of Lizzie Andrews and Edward Jarvis Tenney, 14 and 16 years of age at the time (1850-52) - youthful 1st cousins living in Massachusetts during a fantastic time in American history. Although cousins (not unusual at the time) and young (youth were more mature in a lot of ways then), the letters are a true story view of the young lovers!
Although Lizzie and Edward were engrossed in a courtship in 1850, they did touch upon events surrounding them
- a mere 66 years after the Revolution; 36 years after the War of 1812; and two years after the Mexican-American War.
- Millard Fillmore was President, and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
- Edward made a note on women’s rights after hearing a woman publicly speak - only two years earlier the Seneca Falls New York congregation of women declared universal rights with men.
- Edward also attended a sermon by Octavious Brooks Frothingham (1822-1895) - a lesser known but historically significant abolitionist of slavery.
- Medicine was becoming more a science than philosophy. Lizzie’s brother was one of the first to be treated by the father of American
psychiatry, Dr. Luther V. Bell and his successor Dr. Chauncey Booth.
- Americans were starting to move West - Edward mentions the “Homestead Act” in 1851 (he probably meant the “Donation Land Claim Act of 1850” as the Homestead Act wasn’t enacted
until 1862).
- Also in 1850, the US 1850 Census was the first to give names and more detail on family units - a boon for us genealogists in the future.
- Edward attended a lecture by Edward Everett, that fellow who was well noted for his two-hour stem-winding beautiful orations and was the speaker before Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. Lincoln’s few minutes of dedication is remembered; Everett’s is a footnote of history!
Despite being a “guy” and not into romance narratives, I enjoyed reading this book. It was filled with history witnessed by the two young lovers. It made me realize that letter writing was an art then - contrasted with texting and email of today. I can’t wait to read Book Two!!
By Curt Sanders
The first book of three on the courtship of Lizzie Andrews and Edward Jarvis Tenney, 14 and 16 years of age at the time (1850-52) - youthful 1st cousins living in Massachusetts during a fantastic time in American history. Although cousins (not unusual at the time) and young (youth were more mature in a lot of ways then), the letters are a true story view of the young lovers!
Although Lizzie and Edward were engrossed in a courtship in 1850, they did touch upon events surrounding them
- a mere 66 years after the Revolution; 36 years after the War of 1812; and two years after the Mexican-American War.
- Millard Fillmore was President, and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
- Edward made a note on women’s rights after hearing a woman publicly speak - only two years earlier the Seneca Falls New York congregation of women declared universal rights with men.
- Edward also attended a sermon by Octavious Brooks Frothingham (1822-1895) - a lesser known but historically significant abolitionist of slavery.
- Medicine was becoming more a science than philosophy. Lizzie’s brother was one of the first to be treated by the father of American
psychiatry, Dr. Luther V. Bell and his successor Dr. Chauncey Booth.
- Americans were starting to move West - Edward mentions the “Homestead Act” in 1851 (he probably meant the “Donation Land Claim Act of 1850” as the Homestead Act wasn’t enacted
until 1862).
- Also in 1850, the US 1850 Census was the first to give names and more detail on family units - a boon for us genealogists in the future.
- Edward attended a lecture by Edward Everett, that fellow who was well noted for his two-hour stem-winding beautiful orations and was the speaker before Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. Lincoln’s few minutes of dedication is remembered; Everett’s is a footnote of history!
Despite being a “guy” and not into romance narratives, I enjoyed reading this book. It was filled with history witnessed by the two young lovers. It made me realize that letter writing was an art then - contrasted with texting and email of today. I can’t wait to read Book Two!!
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