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Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Biography
“So this is the little lady who made this big war,” marvelled Abraham Lincoln when he first met Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Noel Gerson explores the life of this fascinating woman who literally changed the course of American history with her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Harriet Beecher Stowe reveals a towering literary figure who was also a remarkable woman, a crusading feminist, and a woman who led a life more dramatic than anything she wrote.
In an age when women were usually confined to the kitchen, the bedroom, and the parlour, Harriet Beecher Stowe argued emancipation with President Lincoln, had an extraordinary woman-to-woman relationship with Queen Victoria, and was regarded by Emile Zola as a comrade-in-arms in their separate crusades for a better world.
Her super-abundant energy and refreshing humour enabled her to combine the duties of a devoted wife and mother of five with a renowned literary career and to become in the process one of the greatest celebrities of the nineteenth century.
‘Harriet Beecher Stowe’ is an impressive biography of a literary giant who changed the course of history forever.
Noel Bertram Gerson (1913-1988) was a prolific American author, who wrote 325 books under his own name and under several pseudonyms. He channeled his own wartime experience in military intelligence into many of his novels, as well as writing widely about American history. His titles include ‘Liner’, ‘Daughter of Earth and Water: A Biography of Mary Shelley’, ‘The Conqueror’s Wife’ and ‘I’ll Storm Hell: A Novel of Mad Anthony Wayne’.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.
Noel Gerson explores the life of this fascinating woman who literally changed the course of American history with her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Harriet Beecher Stowe reveals a towering literary figure who was also a remarkable woman, a crusading feminist, and a woman who led a life more dramatic than anything she wrote.
In an age when women were usually confined to the kitchen, the bedroom, and the parlour, Harriet Beecher Stowe argued emancipation with President Lincoln, had an extraordinary woman-to-woman relationship with Queen Victoria, and was regarded by Emile Zola as a comrade-in-arms in their separate crusades for a better world.
Her super-abundant energy and refreshing humour enabled her to combine the duties of a devoted wife and mother of five with a renowned literary career and to become in the process one of the greatest celebrities of the nineteenth century.
‘Harriet Beecher Stowe’ is an impressive biography of a literary giant who changed the course of history forever.
Noel Bertram Gerson (1913-1988) was a prolific American author, who wrote 325 books under his own name and under several pseudonyms. He channeled his own wartime experience in military intelligence into many of his novels, as well as writing widely about American history. His titles include ‘Liner’, ‘Daughter of Earth and Water: A Biography of Mary Shelley’, ‘The Conqueror’s Wife’ and ‘I’ll Storm Hell: A Novel of Mad Anthony Wayne’.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1976
About the author
Noel B. Gerson
122 books24 followersNoel Bertram Gerson (1913-1988) was an American author who wrote 325 books, including several best sellers, among them two screenplay novelizations penned under the pseudonym Samuel Edwards, The Naked Maja, and 55 Days at Peking.
Aside from "Samuel Edwards", which would seem to have been his dedicated by-line for tie-in work, Gerson used the following nine pseudonyms in addition to his own name: Anne Marie Burgess; Michael Burgess; Nicholas Gorham; Paul Lewis; Leon Phillips; Donald Clayton Porter; Dana Fuller Ross; Philip Vail; and Carter A. Vaughan.
Aside from "Samuel Edwards", which would seem to have been his dedicated by-line for tie-in work, Gerson used the following nine pseudonyms in addition to his own name: Anne Marie Burgess; Michael Burgess; Nicholas Gorham; Paul Lewis; Leon Phillips; Donald Clayton Porter; Dana Fuller Ross; Philip Vail; and Carter A. Vaughan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 4, 2016
More Admirable Than I Realized
Harriet Beecher Stowe 's biography surprised me, for it seems she was more admirable than I knew. If I thought of her at all it was as the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. She wrote a great deal more than that. She contributed to American women's history more than I realized. She was more successful, also.
Learning about her was made more enjoyable, I believe, because I had recently read about the Bronte family. The Bronte siblings were also "preachers kids" and though the lived on the opposite side of the Atlantic they lived during some of the same decades. Harriet knew some of the same writers of the day that Charlotte knew. At some point in their lives both were highly successful and popular novelists and at least once each faced criticism that might have been avoided. They were quite different and yet there are interesting points of similarity. I also appreciated comparing both of their fathers' ministries.
This biography is less scholarly than the one about the Bronte family, so I think the reader who enjoys biographical books will find it an easy, pleasant read.
A side comment, I wish when I visited Mark Twain's home in Hartford that I had realized he was Harriet's neighbor. Since I spent part of my adult life in New England, I knew some of the places in the book. I enjoyed that too.
Harriet Beecher Stowe 's biography surprised me, for it seems she was more admirable than I knew. If I thought of her at all it was as the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. She wrote a great deal more than that. She contributed to American women's history more than I realized. She was more successful, also.
Learning about her was made more enjoyable, I believe, because I had recently read about the Bronte family. The Bronte siblings were also "preachers kids" and though the lived on the opposite side of the Atlantic they lived during some of the same decades. Harriet knew some of the same writers of the day that Charlotte knew. At some point in their lives both were highly successful and popular novelists and at least once each faced criticism that might have been avoided. They were quite different and yet there are interesting points of similarity. I also appreciated comparing both of their fathers' ministries.
This biography is less scholarly than the one about the Bronte family, so I think the reader who enjoys biographical books will find it an easy, pleasant read.
A side comment, I wish when I visited Mark Twain's home in Hartford that I had realized he was Harriet's neighbor. Since I spent part of my adult life in New England, I knew some of the places in the book. I enjoyed that too.
August 5, 2015
A tale of a remarkable woman from a remarkable family that underscores the power of words and the ideas they express to influence the course of human events... With admirable brevity (but no lack of insight or details) sketches the life and career of a woman well ahead of her times...
January 29, 2017
Wow. One of The First Feminists!
I was quite impressed with this Bio of Harriet Beecher Stowe, an amazingly prolific writer, who produced Atlantic Monthly articles from it's inception, to many, many novels, children's books and her growth from stern Puritan to champion of the poor and enslaved who was a European sensation was mind boggling. I admit, I did find some of the quoted correspondences, which much of the book centered around full and repeteitive and I did skim through a few in the center of the story. They did make slogging through the beginning quite slow as well... this would have been a five star bio with editing/synopsis of those areas. The work did bring pre-war, Civil war, and post-war into a new perspective for me. As a parent of a Bowdoin College Alum, I knew Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin in a still existing home steps from campus. She was there raising her children while waiting for her husband to take his accepted position teaching Religion at the college, but with no replacement available for two years at the Seminary he taught at, by the time he was available for the position, another offer came and the family moved from Brunswick. H. B. Stowe was in the early stages of great fame for her famous novel.
I was quite impressed with this Bio of Harriet Beecher Stowe, an amazingly prolific writer, who produced Atlantic Monthly articles from it's inception, to many, many novels, children's books and her growth from stern Puritan to champion of the poor and enslaved who was a European sensation was mind boggling. I admit, I did find some of the quoted correspondences, which much of the book centered around full and repeteitive and I did skim through a few in the center of the story. They did make slogging through the beginning quite slow as well... this would have been a five star bio with editing/synopsis of those areas. The work did bring pre-war, Civil war, and post-war into a new perspective for me. As a parent of a Bowdoin College Alum, I knew Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin in a still existing home steps from campus. She was there raising her children while waiting for her husband to take his accepted position teaching Religion at the college, but with no replacement available for two years at the Seminary he taught at, by the time he was available for the position, another offer came and the family moved from Brunswick. H. B. Stowe was in the early stages of great fame for her famous novel.
February 26, 2023
So, here’s the thing. I learned quite a bit about Harriett Beecher Stowe. Granted about the only thing I knew prior to reading was that she wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin - which I have not read. I had no idea that book was such a huge best seller both in the United States and in Europe.
It turns out she wrote so much more and that her family, the Beechers, were imminent, well known preachers and that Abraham Lincoln said she was the little woman that started the Civil War.
She was a HUGE believer that slavery was abominable, that all people should be free, however she did not support doing it via bloodshed. So war was not her goal. In time, after the war, she was even beloved by Southerners who originally loathed her message because she advocated for fairness and forgiveness when trying to rebuild their lives.
If I was giving a rating based on what I learned, I would give it 4 stars, but my rating is based on the writing. Here too, I should break it down. The author’s writing style was pretty simple, which isn’t necessarily a negative, simple can be very good! But at times I could imagine the section I was reading as something that began as a writing assignment for a high school or college class, it was a bit awkward to read. Then, when the incredibly long passages from some of the letters between HBS and her imminent colleagues were thrown in, I would get bleary eyed reading them. Those long-winded letters didn’t add to the story, they detracted from it.
It turns out she wrote so much more and that her family, the Beechers, were imminent, well known preachers and that Abraham Lincoln said she was the little woman that started the Civil War.
She was a HUGE believer that slavery was abominable, that all people should be free, however she did not support doing it via bloodshed. So war was not her goal. In time, after the war, she was even beloved by Southerners who originally loathed her message because she advocated for fairness and forgiveness when trying to rebuild their lives.
If I was giving a rating based on what I learned, I would give it 4 stars, but my rating is based on the writing. Here too, I should break it down. The author’s writing style was pretty simple, which isn’t necessarily a negative, simple can be very good! But at times I could imagine the section I was reading as something that began as a writing assignment for a high school or college class, it was a bit awkward to read. Then, when the incredibly long passages from some of the letters between HBS and her imminent colleagues were thrown in, I would get bleary eyed reading them. Those long-winded letters didn’t add to the story, they detracted from it.
September 5, 2016
A wonderful read. I picked this up out of curiousity and found myself engrossed. Well-written. Easy to follow. Harriet Beecher Stowe was truly a remarkable woman. Gerson is not fawning by any means, yet he conveys a vivid, three-dimensional portrait of a woman who tried her very best to be what she felt God wanted her to be. In many ways, she was an important catalyst in changing the world. Highly recommended.
April 21, 2019
A very thorough event by event recap of her life and that of her parents and brothers and sisters up to the time of her death. My maternal grandparents were both from the US and a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin was in my Grandmother's book case and I read it about the age of ten. It was very sad and educational, undoubtedly forming my early thoughts of slavery, human rights, and treatment of our neighbors. What I didn't realize was that her book polarized the north and south and Lincoln when meeting her said, so this is the little lady who started it all. I also did not realize what a prolific writer she was or the depth of her Calvinist beliefs, although she swung over to Episcopalian in later years. An interesting read and prompted me to re read Uncle Tom's Cabin and try to read a couple other books she has written.
September 16, 2020
It's as good as anything Ms. Stowe wrote
I highly recommend this book as a factual, balanced, and historically accurate account of the life of one of the Great American writers. I especially enjoyef learning that she was a neighbor to the great Mark Twain, and was considered the equal of royalty and great writers around the world during her time period. I do highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book as a factual, balanced, and historically accurate account of the life of one of the Great American writers. I especially enjoyef learning that she was a neighbor to the great Mark Twain, and was considered the equal of royalty and great writers around the world during her time period. I do highly recommend this book.
August 9, 2017
My kids and I really enjoyed this book. We each knew little to nothing about Mrs. Stowe, so it was really interesting to learn all about her, her life, and her popularity. As one of my kids put it, she was probably more famous than J.K. Rowling (comparatively)! :)
Highly recommended to any fellow history buffs.
Highly recommended to any fellow history buffs.
February 12, 2017
Part of history
Interesting read of the life of a woman who was completely involved with the times of her life. Never realized what a prolific writer she was. Also did not know that her brothers were pastors in Batavia NY where I am from.
Interesting read of the life of a woman who was completely involved with the times of her life. Never realized what a prolific writer she was. Also did not know that her brothers were pastors in Batavia NY where I am from.
May 12, 2017
Excellent
I learned more about Harriett Beecher Stowe and the role she played in history from this book than any history book I have ever read. The entire Beecher family members were incredible. I plan to reread this book to absorb more history.
I learned more about Harriett Beecher Stowe and the role she played in history from this book than any history book I have ever read. The entire Beecher family members were incredible. I plan to reread this book to absorb more history.
December 18, 2017
Biography of famous author
This biography of the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin and many other books is a little too detailed for me. It did provide incite into her upbringing and personality which I found interesting. Just way too many quotes from her books and letters.
This biography of the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin and many other books is a little too detailed for me. It did provide incite into her upbringing and personality which I found interesting. Just way too many quotes from her books and letters.
July 31, 2020
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Treatise on the life of a famous author and shaper of 1800s thought. A bit dry at times. Also, slanted in favor of protecting Mrs. Stowe’s ideals and positioning her writings as more popular and influential than may have been.
Treatise on the life of a famous author and shaper of 1800s thought. A bit dry at times. Also, slanted in favor of protecting Mrs. Stowe’s ideals and positioning her writings as more popular and influential than may have been.
August 25, 2017
Interesting information about this author. Very important to the civil war and helped keep England on the north side side.
December 9, 2017
It was great to learn about such an important figure in American history but the book was boring. The author would often include long passages from letters or other peoples' period writings that were hard to read.
December 13, 2017
Good read!
I wasn't aware of all the books and articles Harriet Beecher Stowe had written. This book was very interesting following her life and steadfast beliefs.
I wasn't aware of all the books and articles Harriet Beecher Stowe had written. This book was very interesting following her life and steadfast beliefs.
October 25, 2018
A well-researched and well-written biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe – not much else to say about it really! Does what it sets out to do – explores her life and writings.
December 25, 2018
Dry reading. Almost worse than a history book. My only peeked interest is to reread Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It reminds me again why I avoid reading biographies.
August 29, 2020
Interesting but...
Interesting biography about a woman I'd read about but knew nothing about. About halfway through, it got long winded and included pages of letters she'd written or had been written to or about her.
Interesting biography about a woman I'd read about but knew nothing about. About halfway through, it got long winded and included pages of letters she'd written or had been written to or about her.
September 8, 2021
A wealth of information about a woman who was far beyond her times.
December 2, 2022
2.5...Interesting review of her life but the writing very dull. Taking me forever to get through it.
April 9, 2023
Excellent
Shelved as 'abandoned'
March 14, 2017I just couldn't finish. Thought she sounded interesting, and she probably is but this book just didn't do it for me.
February 23, 2017
Loved the book.
Well written.
She was such an amazing woman and had such an interesting life.
It made me want to read more of her books.
Well written.
She was such an amazing woman and had such an interesting life.
It made me want to read more of her books.
August 20, 2016
The biography of "Harriet Beecher Stowe" by Noel Gerson was originally printed in 1976 by Praeger, now reprinted by Endeavour Press. They apparently did not try to edit out errors, such as has been noted before with the misspelling of her name in Chapter 18, as well as a number of typos prior to that chapter. Of course, it was the impact that her book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" had on not only the U.S., but also the world that made her infamous. She felt strongly about the cause and was a tireless worker, often paying out of her pocket (or even borrowing money), to pay for the freedom of an individual in trouble (such as the 3 year old separated from both parents). Having been reared in a staunch Calvinistic family, her father a preacher and brothers becoming ministers, she relied heavily on her strong religious background to support her moral grounds. However, I had no idea the woman was so progressive or prolific. She may have written a piece that helped turn American history, but her legacy extends far beyond. Here is a woman who also influenced slavery principles in countries around the globe, chiefly among which was Great Britain. The book opened doors for Ms. Stowe not only to Queen Victoria, but also to extended royalty. She was widely acknowledged and received in Europe and discovered how much she loved Paris and Italy, the latter of which forged in her a new understanding into Catholicism. While I was awe-struck at the accomplishments of this woman when women were not expected to exert much more influence than that of children, the book lapsed into long passages of her personal correspondence. The woman was obviously very cerebral; however, the extended passages definitely slowed the progression of the story of her life. Highly recommended for anyone who doesn't believe one woman could change the course of history.
August 13, 2016
I expected this to be a biography targeting high school level students, perhaps because nowadays most people, I suspect, only read Stowe if it's assigned. I just happened upon the book in a free moment, and dove in. I was pleasantly surprised by how carefully the author had gone through the primary source materials, and personal correspondence was cited or quoted often to convey Harriet's perspectives and impressions.
I particularly appreciated how this biography offered me a glimpse into the fascinating family interactions of all the famous Beechers. I have sometimes mused it might be a fun class on American culture in the 19th century just to explore the contributions of the varied family members of that illustrative clan, how they were so representative of their culture in some ways, and pushing it forward progressively in others. I also appreciated details on Stowe's private friendships and relationships with the reclusive Lady Byron--which led to the one publicity scandal on Stowe's remarkable celebrity career--or with her neighbor in Hartford, Mark Twain. For those who only know her as the little lady who wrote the book that started that big war (to paraphrase Lincoln, albeit poorly), this offers reviews and summaries of her other literary works as well--literature often forgotten in this time but very popular in hers. What she did with her money after she got rich also was interesting, as was her long marriage with her intellectual husband, a theology superstar of the era in his own right.
I particularly appreciated how this biography offered me a glimpse into the fascinating family interactions of all the famous Beechers. I have sometimes mused it might be a fun class on American culture in the 19th century just to explore the contributions of the varied family members of that illustrative clan, how they were so representative of their culture in some ways, and pushing it forward progressively in others. I also appreciated details on Stowe's private friendships and relationships with the reclusive Lady Byron--which led to the one publicity scandal on Stowe's remarkable celebrity career--or with her neighbor in Hartford, Mark Twain. For those who only know her as the little lady who wrote the book that started that big war (to paraphrase Lincoln, albeit poorly), this offers reviews and summaries of her other literary works as well--literature often forgotten in this time but very popular in hers. What she did with her money after she got rich also was interesting, as was her long marriage with her intellectual husband, a theology superstar of the era in his own right.
February 16, 2017
Quite a woman
A very interesting and informative look at a time of turmoil in our country and a woman who made a difference.
A very interesting and informative look at a time of turmoil in our country and a woman who made a difference.
August 13, 2016
Harriet Beecher Stowe had an interesting life that was both very much of her times (her strict New England upbringing, which led to her abolitionist sympathies) but also timeless (her hard work to support her family, cleaning and mending getting put in the backseat so she could focus on her children and her writing).
The kindle version has a number of odd typos, at one point calling her Hamel Beecher Stowe, and at another describing her belief that Cod is love.
The kindle version has a number of odd typos, at one point calling her Hamel Beecher Stowe, and at another describing her belief that Cod is love.
August 8, 2016
The Woman Who Caused the Civil War?
This history of Harriet Beecher Stowe brings out the strengths and weaknesses of this amazingly prolific author. Remembered for one work, HBS produced a prodigious body of work and had a much greater impact on the country than I would ever have suspected. Would particularly recommend this book for young authors.
This history of Harriet Beecher Stowe brings out the strengths and weaknesses of this amazingly prolific author. Remembered for one work, HBS produced a prodigious body of work and had a much greater impact on the country than I would ever have suspected. Would particularly recommend this book for young authors.
January 13, 2017
Although a bit dated, this biography of Stowe was very straightforward and provided a clear life to the famous writer. Filled with letters that were not necessary, it would need a little editing but the it was detailed enough to bring out the interesting sides of this woman and her place in literary history.
February 5, 2017
A dedicated abolitionist
Pres Lincoln may have emancipated slavery but the powerful written words of Harriet Beecher Stowe was instrumental in educating public awareness to facilitate its eventuality.
Pres Lincoln may have emancipated slavery but the powerful written words of Harriet Beecher Stowe was instrumental in educating public awareness to facilitate its eventuality.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews