In this novel about Ralph Waldo Emerson's wife, Lidian, Amy Belding Brown examines the emotional landscape of love and marriage. Living in the shadow of one of the most famous men of her time, Lidian becomes deeply disappointed by marriage, but consigned to public silence by social conventions and concern for her children and her husband's reputation. Drawn to the erotic energy and intellect of close family friend Henry David Thoreau, she struggles to negotiate the confusing territory between love and friendship while maintaining her moral authority and inner strength. In the course of the book, she deals with overwhelming social demands, faces devastating personal loss, and discovers the deepest meaning of love. Lidian eventually discovers the truth of her own character and learns that even our faults can lead us to independence.
- ISBN10 0312336381
- ISBN13 9780312336387
- Publish Date 30 May 2006 (first published 1 May 2005)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 13 December 2008
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Saint Martin's Griffin,U.S.
- Edition New edition
- Format Paperback
- Pages 336
- Language English