Finding Margaret Fuller - by Allison Pataki (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"Soul-stirring . . . brings to life the epic and inspiring story of an incredible woman who should never be forgotten."--Kristin Harmel, author of The Paris Daughter

In the company of Ralph Waldo Emerson and his circle of enlightened friends, the young, beautiful, and brilliant Margaret Fuller becomes "the radiant genius and fiery heart" of the Transcendentalists. She inspires Louisa May Alcott, sparks Nathaniel Hawthorne to create Hester Prynne, and forms close bonds with Henry David Thoreau and Emerson himself. However, Margaret's soul yearns for more than poetry and drama, leading her on a journey of adventure and self-discovery.

From hosting a women-only literary salon in Boston to becoming the first woman permitted entry to Harvard's library, Margaret defies societal conventions as an activist for women's rights and a champion for humanity. On the gritty New York streets, she spars with Edgar Allan Poe and reports on the work of Frederick Douglass. And when offered an assignment in Europe by editor Horace Greeley, Margaret becomes the first female foreign news correspondent, mingling with the likes of Frédéric Chopin, William Wordsworth, and George Sand. In Rome, she embarks on a passionate love affair with a Roman count, causing an international scandal. As a mother and a countess, Margaret enters a new fight for Italy's unification.

With a star-studded cast and an epic sweep of historical events, this is a story of an inspiring trailblazer, a woman who loved big and lived even bigger--a fierce adventurer who transcended the rigid roles ascribed to women and changed history for millions, all on her own terms.

Review Quotes

"[A] bold, brilliant woman . . . She changed the course of history--and now here's hers, which you won't believe you didn't already know."--Good Morning America

"What a woman! What a story! Whether exploring Margaret's remarkable friendships or delving into her crucial legacy as a journalist, writer, and feminist, Finding Margaret Fuller promises to transform every reader it touches--much like Margaret Fuller herself."--Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Personal Librarian

"Pataki digs into the fascinating and all-too-short life of Margaret Fuller, a trailblazing 19th-century writer . . . all of us who later benefitted from the march toward equal rights for women should read this book, which honors an early feminist icon who broke nearly every rule laid out for her and in doing so, inspired a generation and led the way into a brighter future with courage and heart."--Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

"Finding Margaret Fuller is a gem of a read, a bold portrait of a trailblazing woman who defied conventions to live life on her own terms, supported by a cast of so many literary legends that will keep readers turning the pages to find out who shows up next."--Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author of Her Lost Words

"Literature lovers rejoice! Finding Margaret Fuller is a novel in which all of your heroes appear as characters, the most formidable being Margaret herself, a woman who had the courage and smarts to stand at the center of Transcendentalism and inspire a generation of American thought. I couldn't put this one down."--Annabel Monaghan, bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script

"A fascinating novel that brings this lesser-known transcendentalist writer to life in all her complicated brilliance and beauty . . . Filled with hope and love, heartbreak and sorrow, this book about the true mother of the American women's rights movement is not to be missed."--Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost

"Pataki's star-studded and gripping account is full of lush details about the life of an overlooked contributor to Transcendentalism and women's rights. This is one to savor."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Pataki's sweepingly urgent, inspiring novel about the astonishing life of Margaret Fuller . . . An invigorating fictional portrait of a brilliant woman."--Booklist (starred review)

About the Author