{"product_id":"letters-to-sophia-the-afterlives-of-hester-thrale-hardcover","title":"Letters to Sophia: The Afterlives of Hester Thrale - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eKate Chisholm\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eLoren Rothschild\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe story of Hester Thrale's life after her second marriage to Gabriel Piozzi in 1784, told through the letters she wrote to her daughter Sophia.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe chance discovery of letters from Hester Thrale (1741-1821) to her daughter Sophia provides an opportunity to rethink our understanding of one of the key people in the life of the dictionary-maker and moralist Dr Samuel Johnson. Much-maligned after the death of her first husband for her decision to marry Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian musician and Catholic, Hester has often been portrayed as cold-hearted and lacking in the essentials of motherhood. These letters shed new light on her relations with her four surviving daughters (she gave birth to 12 children in 14 years). They also reveal her desire for recognition as a scholar and poet, and her keen awareness of her shortcomings. They provide a fascinating portrait of a complex woman, determining her independence and that of her daughters, in spite of family tragedy and vicious criticism in the press.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKate Chisholm\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of \u003ci\u003eFanny Burney: Her Life and Wits \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eWives: Dr Johnson in the Company of Women\u003c\/i\u003e. She has written biographical essays on the Burney family for \u003ci\u003eThe Cambridge Companion to Frances Burney\u003c\/i\u003e, on Mary Wollstonecraft for \u003ci\u003eMary Wollstonecraft in Context\u003c\/i\u003e and on her family's connection with India for \u003ci\u003eThe Last Bungalow: Writings from Allahabad\u003c\/i\u003e. A former fellow of the Royal Literary Fund, she was the radio critic of the Spectator for 13 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 194\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e January 20, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51987035488557,"sku":"9781836360131","price":22.27,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/RvRYbAuroM9781836360131.webp?v=1776167417","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/letters-to-sophia-the-afterlives-of-hester-thrale-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}