A Woman of Opinion

Mary Wortley Montagu, an aristocratic woman in 18th century England, longs for adventure, freedom, and love and believes that only by truly living can she escape the stalking crow of Death. She engineers a job offer for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, discovering the autonomous life she dreams of and resolving to bring the miracle cure back to England. However, her reputation becomes increasingly tainted due to her inability to abide by the rules, outspoken opinions on women's rights, and search for love and desire at all costs. Her daughter works against her, afraid of what they might contain.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 04 July 2024
Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, an aristocratic woman in 18th century England, longs for adventure, freedom, and love, believing that only by truly living can she ever escape the stalking crow of Death. Despite being expected to act in certain ways, Mary has never let society's expectations stifle her. She writes celebrated poetry and articles advocating for equality, as well as endless, often scandalous, letters to her many powerful friends. However, Mary wants more from the world. Using her charm and connections, she engineers a job offer for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Travelling to Constantinople, Mary finally discovers the autonomous life she dreams of. And when she observes Turkish women engrafting children against smallpox, she resolves to bring the miracle cure back to England. Despite this, Mary's reputation becomes increasingly tainted. Her inability to abide by the rules, her outspoken opinions on women's rights, and her search for love and desire at all costs gains her powerful enemies. While Mary tries to ensure her name will live on by arranging the publication of her diaries after her death, her own daughter works against her, afraid of what they might contain. An illuminating and beautiful novel which gives a voice to the tragically unremembered yet extraordinary life of pioneering poet and feminist, Mary Wortley Montagu.

Weight: 508g
Dimension: 223 x 142 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780857528032