How Do I Love Thee?: A Novel of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Poetic Romance - Softcover

Moser, Nancy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1618432885 ISBN 13: 9781618432889

Publisher: Livingstone Books, 2012

Synopsis

 A shipwreck, an attic sanctum, an oppressive father, love letters, clandestine meetings, a secret marriage, an escape to Italy, the birth of a child, and happily ever after. So plays out the odd but mesmerizing life of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. . . . Christy Award winning author Nancy Moser has crafted a romantic, emotion-charged novel based on the true story of beloved poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. As a bonus, the novel includes the entire Sonnets from the Portuguese—Elizabeth’s love sonnets to Robert Browning.

About this title

From the Author:

Dear Reader:

Truth is stranger than fiction.  Actually, in the case of Elizabeth and Robert Browning's love story, it's better than fiction.   

You might think the following odd, but when I write these biographical novels I don't get too far ahead of myself with research.  I know the basics, then set in from the beginning and research as I write the scenes.  The nice thing about this method is that I am often surprised by what I discover.  Elizabeth's story had a bevy of plot-elements that always make a good story:  a shipwreck, an attic retreat, an oppressive father, love letters, clandestine meetings, a secret marriage, an escape to Italy, the birth of a child, and happily ever after.  Sigh.

Elizabeth--hole up in her attic sanctum--constantly surprised me by providing real-life incidents that were every bit as interesting as anything I could have made up--or more so.  In the back of the book, in the letter to the reader, I name many of them.  I don't want to share them now and spoil the story, but be assured, they make an impressive list.

 I found much common ground with Elizabeth--a woman with whom I would have thought  I shared little.  Yet her family loyalty, her work ethic, her health concerns, her quest for knowledge, her desire to avoid confrontation, her longing for praise, her self-doubt, her inner strength, and her utter joy when life gave her more than she ever imagined . . .  Can't we all find parallel threads that traverse these emotions?

 And now, for the pièce de résistance of the amazing happenings that peppered Elizabeth's and Robert's love story:  it comes down to this.  If Elizabeth had not mentioned Robert's work in one of her poems, if her cousin had not sent a copy to Robert's sister, if Robert had not read that story, if he had not written her a fan letter, if she had not written back . . .

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways . . . would not exist.  Nor would their love story.  Nor would this book.

God moves in a mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.


Nancy Moser

From the Back Cover:

She dreams of love for others but never for herself... Copy: Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet--and a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. Bedridden by chronic illness, she has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives... "" love your verses with all my heart," writes Robert Browning, an admiring fellow poet. As friendly correspondence gives way to something more, Elizabeth discovers that Robert's love is not for her poetry alone. Might God grant her more than mere existence? And will she risk defying her father in pursuit of true happiness?

About this edition

• Publisher: Livingstone Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1618432885
• ISBN 13: 9781618432889
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304