Never before told story of literary sensation

THIS book is the never before told story of Australian-born international literary sensation, Elizabeth von Arnim.

Now a largely forgotten woman, Elizabeth’s story as told by journalist and author Joyce Morgan is thoroughly engrossing in its witty, observational detail.

A member of the glamorous literary society of late 19th and early 20th century London and Europe, Elizabeth lived during exciting and changing times that spanned the innocence of Victorian Sydney and finished with the march of Hitler through Europe.

Born Mary Annette Beauchamp in Sydney in 1866, she became Countess von Arnim when she married a Prussian Count, and had five children in Germany.

Elizabeth published her first book anonymously; however none of her 21 books were ever published under her own name. Many female authors took up male pseudonyms at the time, as women writers were not favourably viewed by publishers (and are still not in some circles today!).

One of her books, Mr Skeffington, named one of Time magazine’s books of the year, was made into a Hollywood movie starring Bette Davis.

Making her court debut before Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace, Elizabeth was widowed in 1910, before starting a turbulent relationship with H.G. Wells.

Admired by Virginia Woolf and likened to Jane Austen, her close friends included luminaries of the day such as Lady Maud Cunard, Nancy Astor, Somerset Maugham, E.M. Forster and her cousin and confidante, the New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfield.

Later marrying “the Wicked Earl” – Frank Russell, brother of Bertrand Russell and a convicted bigamist, the marriage was not surprisingly, short lived.

By then in her 50s, she took a lover 26 years her junior.

Free-spirited, talented, successful, titled and wealthy, Elizabeth’s private life was at odds with her public persona.

Joyce Morgan unveils this charismatic mystery woman, bringing her vividly to life.