Imagine discovering a cache of passionate letters between your great-grandmother and a famous Pre-Raphaelite painter. Josceline Dimbleby did just that. A drawing of her great-grandmother dated 1898 had always hung in her childhood home, which had been drawn by artist Edward Burne-Jones. It wasn't until Dimbleby was a teenager that she thought to ask who the woman in the portrait was. Her great-grandmother, May, and May's daughter Amy were wrapped up in what seemed like a mystery to Dimbleby. Later when she discovers a beautiful portrait painted by Burne-Jones of her great-aunt, Amy, she begins a search into her family's hidden past.
I love books like this, and as enough time now has passed since I finished my last nonfiction read, I thought it was time to choose another. I've had Dimbleby's May and Amy: A True Story of Family, Forbidden Love, and the Secret Lives of May Gaskell and her Daughter Amy, and Sir Edward Burne-Jones (whew, I think in the future I'll just refer to it as May and Amy) for quite a long time now. Although not as informally written as Slipstream was, this is still an absorbing read so far. Why is it always so fascinating reading about other people's lives? When they involve letters that verge on love letters (though perhaps not in the way we think of them) between a married relative and a famous artist it just adds to the natural curiosity. Edward Burne-Jones and May exchanged letters, sometimes up to five a day (imagine!) during the last six year's of the painter's life, though their relationship was a platonic one. What's especially interesting is how Amy comes into the equation. Dimbleby wanted to find the truth behind "Amy's wayward, wandering life, her strange marriage and her unexplained early death."
As this is a more traditional biography, Dimbleby goes back to 1840 and begins at the beginning--with May's parents. I'm looking forward to the secrets unraveling about these two women. Along the way I am supposed to be treated to a "turbulent period in history that includes the Boer War, the Great War, the Second World War and the most far-flung corners of the British Empire." It sounds right up my alley. I'll let you know how it goes.
I loved this book, Dani. A mixture of the Pre Raphaelites & family secrets. Wonderful.
Posted by: Lyn | February 06, 2009 at 05:33 PM
I know mail was delivered more than once a day in the old days.
I wonder how biographers are going to find out what's went on, now that everyone writes emails and can delete them?
Great review.
Posted by: Isabel | February 06, 2009 at 08:36 PM
Lyn--This is going to make me want to now buy that book on the Pre-Raphaelites you told me about before. I was hoping to hold off. This is a great mix of subjects--I enjoy both!
Isabel--Isn't it weird to think of two daily mail deliveries? I wonder if they also got mail on Sundays? And here in the US we might even lose a day of mail delivery! I also wonder what historians and biographers and archivists are going to do with everything online and digital. I think so much is lost this way with so much online. It will be interesting!
Posted by: Danielle | February 06, 2009 at 09:58 PM
I read this a couple of years ago. It was very good!
Posted by: jenclairj | February 06, 2009 at 11:04 PM
I loved it too!
Posted by: Cornflower | February 07, 2009 at 04:48 AM
The book sounds like fun! I like the idea of a book that tells a true story but is also a good read, with interesting people in it and interesting history too. Looking forward to hearing more about it!
Posted by: Dorothy W. | February 07, 2009 at 09:13 AM
I'm so glad you're enjoying this, Danielle, as I loved it. I found it satisfying right the way through to the end, which is not, umm, always the case with family memoirs.
Posted by: Litlove | February 07, 2009 at 09:36 AM
Jenclair--I bought this book in hardcover when it first came out and am only now getting around to reading--worth the wait,though!
Cornflower--I can see why, she's an excellent writer!
Dorothy--I like a mixture of biography as well as social history and this has a bit of art history thrown in as well. I should read more books like this one.
Litlove--Finally I'm getting around to it. I remember when you wrote about this and was determined to get to it eventually.
Posted by: Danielle | February 07, 2009 at 09:52 PM
When I read a bit of the book at the bookstore, it almost occurred to me that it was a work of fiction. Beautifully written and woven with letters and anecdotes.
Posted by: Matt | February 07, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Matt--She is a good writer. I love nonfiction that reads like fiction!
Posted by: Danielle | February 08, 2009 at 06:42 PM
I so want to read this book! I featured it in my Friday Finds post this week: http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com
Posted by: avisannschild | February 13, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Sorry, that's not a direct link to my post. Try this one instead:
http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com/2009/02/friday-finds-february-13.html
Posted by: avisannschild | February 13, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Avisannschild--I saw your post in Google reader and marked it! I'm glad you decided to pick it up as well! As soon as I get my library books read, I want to get back to it! :)
Posted by: Danielle | February 13, 2009 at 08:36 PM