Laurie Lico Albanese

A vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne, the tragic heroine of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, and a journey into the enduring legacy of New England's witchcraft trials. Who is the real Hester Prynne? Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts have forced them to flee Edinburgh for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they've arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic––leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country, forced to make her way by any means possible. When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a man haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows––while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward's safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller; the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which? In this sensuous and hypnotizing tale, a young immigrant woman grapples with our country's complicated past, and learns that America's ideas of freedom and liberty often fall short of their promise. Interwoven with Isobel and Nathaniel's story is a vivid interrogation of who gets to be a "real" American in the first half of the 19th century, a depiction of the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, and atmospheric interstitials that capture the long history of "unusual" women being accused of witchcraft. Meticulously researched yet evocatively imagined, Hester is a timeless tale of art, ambition, and desire that examines the roots of female creative power and the men who try to shut it down.

A Novel

Hester

Color illustration and map on lining papers.

Stolen Beauty

Named a Most Anticipated Book for Fall by Goodreads • Washington Post • New York Post • BuzzFeed • PopSugar • Business Insider • An October Indie Next List Pick • An October LibraryReads Pick "A hauntingly beautiful––and imagined––origin story to The Scarlet Letter." ––People WHO IS THE REAL HESTER PRYNNE? Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts have forced them to flee Glasgow for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they've arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic––leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country, forced to make her way by any means possible. When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a man haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows––while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward's safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller; the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which? In this sensuous and hypnotizing tale, a young immigrant woman grapples with our country's complicated past, and learns that America's ideas of freedom and liberty often fall short of their promise. Interwoven with Isobel and Nathaniel's story is a vivid interrogation of who gets to be a "real" American in the first half of the 19th century, a depiction of the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, and atmospheric interstitials that capture the long history of "unusual" women being accused of witchcraft. Meticulously researched yet evocatively imagined, Laurie Lico Albanese's Hester is a timeless tale of art, ambition, and desire that examines the roots of female creative power and the men who try to shut it down.

La bellezza rubata

Packed with stunning photographs, easy-to-use maps, and all the information you really need to get the most from your visit! In this compact guide, our writers help you plan itineraries for short and longer stays. Complete with must-see sights on and off the beaten track as well as current hotel and restaurant recommendations. And the convenient size of the guide allows you to take it along in your pocket or handbag. Take the world in your pocket next time and travel with this handy Berlitz guide.

Chicago

LA INOLVIDABLE HISTORIA REAL TRAS EL CUADRO QUE CAMBIÓ EL DESTINO DE DOS MUJERES Año 1900. Adele Bloch-Bauer, una mujer casada de ascendencia judía, hermosa, brillante y adinerada, conoce al pintor Gustav Klimt en una Viena que empieza a desprenderse de las caretas del sexo y del antisemitismo. Su embriagadora vulnerabilidad e intensidad alimentan un triángulo amoroso que dará lugar a las mejores obras del artista. Año 1938. Maria Altmann, recién casada y enamorada en la ciudad que la vio nacer, tiene que presenciar cómo, de la noche a la mañana, su querida Viena se convierte en zona de guerra. Cuando arrestan a su marido y todo a su alrededor se desmorona, el legado de su tía Adele la mantendrá en pie, un legado por el que tendrá que enfrentarse a los nazis y al gobierno austríaco. «Una obra de arte en sí misma.»The Wall Street Journal «Épica.» Cosmopolitan «Hipnótica y sensual.» The New York Times «Si nunca ha oído nada de Gustav Klimt y de la historia tras el Retrato de Adele Bloch-Bauer, prepárese. No podrá parar de leer.» The Tig «Una novela histórica apasionante y cautivadora.» Goodreads «Una lectura extremadamente grata. Los amantes del suspense romántico y del arte apreciarán la recreación de la saga familiar detrás de la pintura conocida como la Mona Lisa de Viena”.» Kirkus Reviews «Albanese teje magistralmente la historia de Adele con la vida de Maria bajo el yugo nazi. Es difícil leer Belleza dorada y no encontrar ecos en los titulares actuales. ¿Es que no hemos aprendido nada siete décadas después de la segunda guerra mundial?» USA Today «Cautivará a los fanáticos de la fi cción histórica.» Booklist

Belleza dorada

Claire Allouch

Salem devait être un nouveau départ, un endroit où l'odeur piquante de la cannelle et du thé parfumerait l'air d'espoir ; où les couleurs seraient en sécurité, vivantes, en moi. J'avais dix-neuf ans, et Nathaniel Hawthorne vingt-quatre lorsque nous nous rencontrâmes dans ces rues de briques. C'était en l'an 1829, et nous luttions tous deux, chacun à notre manière, pour être libres - lui avec ses carnets, moi avec mon aiguille. Brodeuse aux doigts de fée, Isobel Gamble descend d'une lignée de femmes qui possèdent toutes un don exceptionnel : celui de percevoir la couleur des lettres et des sons. Très tôt, elle apprend à le cacher, pour ne pas être, comme ses aïeules, accusée de sorcellerie. Contrainte de fuir en Nouvelle-Angleterre avec son mari, Isobel se retrouve rapidement seule à Salem. Son destin croise alors celui du jeune Nathaniel Hawthorne, un écrivain hanté par le rôle de ses ancêtres lors des tristement célèbres procès de sorcellerie. Ensemble, ils forment un duo de conteur et de muse, qui donnera naissance à l'un des plus grands chefs-d'oeuvre de la littérature... Découvrez le portrait vibrant de la femme à l'origine de La Lettre écarlate. « La Sorcière écarlate nous offre un magnifique message de résilience, à travers une prose vivante et colorée. » Sarah Penner « Laurie Lico Albanese a écrit un chef-d'oeuvre qui devrait être lu en même temps que le classique de Nathaniel Hawthorne. Fourmillant de détails et à l'écriture d'un lyrisme sublime, ce roman nous montre toutes les manières dont les femmes hors du commun doivent minimiser leurs dons pour se conformer aux exigences de la société. Envoûtant, ambitieux et totalement captivant. » Fiona Davis « Comme les plus grandes oeuvres de fiction historique, La Sorcière écarlate parvient à donner vie à ses personnages et à vous ancrer dans le quotidien d'un monde bouillonnant du xixe siècle, promettant la liberté de l'Amérique tout en exigeant son prix terrible sur les Amérindiens qu'elle détruit, les esclaves qu'elle amène enchaînés et les femmes qu'elle écrase. » Gillian Flynn « Ce récit richement documenté met en lumière les obstacles auxquels étaient confrontées les femmes du xixe siècle qui refusaient de se conformer aux normes de la société patriarcale. » The Washington Post « Ce roman captivera les lecteurs en quête d'une héroïne résiliente et d'une histoire féministe à l'origine d'un classique américain du xixe siècle, toujours aussi pertinent aujourd'hui. » Booklist « Un roman historique exceptionnel... Même ceux qui ne connaissent pas le classique seront captivés par ce récit d'une femme capable de se rebeller contre les préjugés sexistes et raciaux de son époque. » Publishers Weekly « Une très belle fiction sur les origines du chef-d'oeuvre de Hawthorne. » Kirkus « Laura Lico Albanese a une plume absolument magnifique. » Historical Novel Review

La Sorcière écarlate

As she aimlessly wanders the beaches of Singing Island, she sees an infant in a stroller, alone under tree. Surely the child - who looks more like her than her own lost little girl - is waiting for her, waiting to fill her empty arms and heart.".

Lynelle by the Sea

Isobel, a gifted needleworker with strange talents, finds herself penniless and alone in Salem. When she meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are drawn to each other. Together, they are dark storyteller and muse, but where will their affair lead?

A Bewitching Tale of Desire and Ambition

A woman seeking solace after the sudden death of her child flees her marriage for Florida where, in her grief, she will walk off with another woman's infant son. A first novel. Reprint.

Eleanor Winters

Laurie E. Lico

Absolute beginners can learn how to get started on the basic Italic hand in this practical guide. Detailed discussions cover spacing and connecting letters; forming words and sentences; drawing "swash" capitals; changing nibs; using color; making corrections; waterproofing; addressing envelopes, making invitations, and stationery, and transcribing special texts. Numerous black-and-white illustrations.

Calligraphy in Ten Easy Lessons

“A powerful and important tale of love and war, art and family…I was transported.” —Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author “Albanese artfully weaves Adele’s story with Maria’s harrowing life under the Nazis, but it’s hard to read Stolen Beauty without seeing ugly echoes in today’s headlines. Seven decades after World War II, have we learned nothing?” —USA TODAY From the dawn of the twentieth century to the devastation of World War II, this exhilarating novel of love, war, art, and family gives voice to two extraordinary women and brings to life the true story behind the creation and near destruction of Gustav Klimt’s most remarkable paintings. In the dazzling glitter of 1903 Vienna, Adele Bloch-Bauer—young, beautiful, brilliant, and Jewish—meets painter Gustav Klimt. Wealthy in everything but freedom, Adele embraces Klimt’s renegade genius as the two awaken to the erotic possibilities on the canvas and beyond. Though they enjoy a life where sex and art are just beginning to break through the façade of conventional society, the city is also troubled by a disturbing increase in anti-Semitism as political hatred simmers in the shadows of Adele’s coffeehouse afternoons and cultural salons. Nearly forty years later, Adele’s niece Maria Altmann is a newlywed when the Nazis invade Austria—and overnight, her beloved Vienna becomes a war zone. When her husband is arrested and her family is forced out of their stately home, Maria must summon the courage and resilience that is her aunt’s legacy if she is to survive and keep her loved ones—and their history—alive. Will Maria and her family escape the grip of Nazi rule? And what will become of the paintings for which her aunt sacrificed nearly everything? Impeccably researched and a “must-read for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Paula McLain’s Circling the Sun” (Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Stolen Beauty juxtaposes passion and discovery against hatred and despair, and shines a light on our ability to love, to destroy, and above all, to endure.

Laurie Lico Albanese

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