Kathleen Thompson Norris: Martie, the Unconquered, Kartoniert / Broschiert

Klappentext

Martie, the Unconquered is a novel by Kathleen Thompson Norris, a prolific American author known for her engaging storytelling and exploration of early 20th-century social issues, particularly those affecting women. First published in 1917, this novel is part of Norris's extensive body of work, which often focused on themes of love, independence, and resilience.

The novel follows Martie Monroe, a spirited young woman who dreams of a life beyond the constraints of her small-town upbringing. Unlike many women of her time, Martie refuses to settle for a conventional, stifling existence. She yearns for personal and financial independence, but societal expectations and family pressures constantly challenge her aspirations.

Martie's journey is one of struggle and self-discovery. She faces failed relationships, financial hardships, and the limitations imposed on women in the early 1900s. Yet, despite these obstacles, she remains "unconquered"-determined to carve out her own path rather than conform to traditional roles.

Like many of Norris's novels, Martie, the Unconquered blends romance with social commentary, offering readers both an engaging story and a reflection on gender roles. While not as widely remembered today as some of her other works (such as Mother or Certain People of Importance), it remains a compelling portrait of a woman fighting for her own identity in a restrictive society.

About the Author

Kathleen Thompson Norris (July 16, 1880 - January 18, 1966) was an American novelist and newspaper columnist. She was one of the most widely read and highest paid female writers in the United States for nearly fifty years, from 1911 to 1959. Norris was a prolific writer who wrote 93 novels, many of which became best sellers. Her stories appeared frequently in the popular press of the day, including Atlantic, The American Magazine, McClure's, Everybody's, Ladies' Home Journal and Woman's Home Companion. Norris used her fiction to promote family and moralistic values, such as the sanctity of marriage, the nobility of motherhood, and the importance of service to others.

Kathleen Thompson Norris was born in San Francisco, California on 16 July 1880. Her parents were Josephine (née Moroney) and James Alden Thompson. When she was 19 both her parents died. As the oldest sibling she became effectively the head of a large family and had to work. Initially, she found employment in a department store, which was soon followed by work in an accounting office and then the Mechanic's Institute Library. In 1905, she enrolled in a creative writing program at the University of California, Berkeley and began writing short stories. The San Francisco Call, which had published a few of her stories, hired her to write a society column in September 1906. In the course of that work she met Charles Gilman Norris (whose late older brother was the famous novelist Frank Norris), and they soon fell in love. He moved to New York to be art editor of The American Magazine. After eight months of daily correspondence and some improvements in her family's financial situation, she joined him there and they were married in April 1909.

Norris became involved in various social causes, including women's suffrage, Prohibition, pacifism, and organizations to benefit children and the poor.

Kathleen Thompson Norris died January 18, 1966 in San Francisco at the home of her son Dr. Frank Norris. She was 85. (wikipedia. org)