Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Perdita
Perdita: The Literary, Theatrical, Scandalous Life of Mary Robinson | Paula Byrne
4 posts | 1 read | 5 to read
This thoroughly engaging and richly researched book presents a compelling portrait of Mary Robinsondarling of the London stage, mistress to the most powerful men in England, feminist thinker, and bestselling author, described by Samuel Taylor Coleridge as a woman of undoubted genius. One of the most flamboyant free spirits of the late eighteenth century, Mary Robinson led a life that was marked by reversals of fortune. After being abandoned by her merchant father, who left England to establish a fishery among the Canadian Eskimos, Mary was married, at age fifteen, to Thomas Robinson. His dissipation landed the couple and their baby in debtors prison, where Mary wrote her first book of poetry, gaining her the patronage of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. On her release, Mary rose to become one of the London theaters most alluring actresses, famously playing Perdita in The Winters Tale for a rapt audience that included the Prince of Wales, who fell madly in love with her. Never one to pass up an opportunity, she later used his ardent and numerous love letters as blackmail. After being struck down by paralysis, apparently following a miscarriage, she remade herself yet again, this time as a popular writer who was also admired by the leading intellectuals of the day. Filled with triumph and despair, and then triumph again, the amazing, multifaceted life of Perdita is marvelously captured in this stunning biography. From the Hardcover edition.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
jenniferw88
post image
Mehso-so

#bfcr3 update @wanderinglynn @Chrissyreadit

Not so good this week, but I was expecting that as my Crohn's Disease has flared up and didn't get it sorted until later in the week.

3 ⭐ for the tagged book.

wanderinglynn Still a good week! You‘re making good progress! 🙌🏻 5y
Chrissyreadit Is consider it pretty good! 5y
67 likes2 comments
blurb
jenniferw88
post image

@julesG I see your bookish #GhostCat, I give you Jaffa, my #KAL! The arrow points to the side of the bed I get in on. There's very little space for me!

julesG 😁 Ghost does that, too. Or start off by sleeping on my legs then stretching and turning, and making ne sleep on the edge of the mattress: let's not disturb her royal highness 5y
AlaMich I think all kittens take a class in this! 😹 5y
See All 6 Comments
Crazeedi My kitty is stretched out on my bed right now too😽 they are in charge you know! 5y
TheAromaofBooks lol my cat never forgave my husband for marrying me, because it meant my husband got the cat's side of the bed! 5y
cherinium The worst is when you get one on either side, effectively pinning you in place and unable to move. 😼 5y
110 likes6 comments
blurb
jenniferw88
post image

Thanks for the tag @Chrissyreadit ! My ideal day would be my cat sitting next to me whilst I read some books and eating dark chocolate, but pausing to watch The Chase!

#bfcr3 #basicwitchswap #screamathon #cozyswap

@kaysworld1 @erzascarletbookgasm @Cinfhen @TrishB @squirrelbrain @Lel2403 @Emilymdxn @jhod @RachelO @julesG

wanderinglynn That looks like an awesome day! 👍🏻 5y
Chrissyreadit OMG! I love it!!! And our cats could be cousins❤️❤️❤️ 5y
8little_paws majestic cat 5y
Cinfhen Didn‘t know you prefer dark chocolate 🍫 good to know 😜 5y
Lel2403 Sounds like heaven 💕 5y
87 likes5 comments
blurb
erzascarletbookgasm
post image

A fascinating portrait of Mary Robinson, ‘one of the London theater‘s most alluring actresses, famously playing Perdita in The Winter‘s Tale‘. Married at 15 to Thomas Robinson, later landed in debtors prison, upon release she made friends in high places, became an actress, had an affair with the Prince of Wales. When she was paralysed, she got into politics. #MrsRobinson - ‘actress, fashion icon, poet, novelist, essayist and royal mistress‘.

Cathythoughts Sounds amazing 👍🏻♥️ 5y
Mdargusch Good pick! 5y
Cinfhen Oh: this is fascinating 💕 5y
Weaponxgirl I have this somewhere, thanks for reminding me about it 5y
66 likes1 stack add5 comments