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54th out of 558 books
—
445 voters
How Do I Love Thee? (Ladies of History #4)
by
Nancy Moser
She dreams of love for others but never for herself...
Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet--and a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. Bedridden by chronic illness, she has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives...
"I love your verses with all my hea
...morePaperback, 352 pages
Published
May 1st 2009
by Bethany House
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This Christian author’s books were suggested by a friend. This was not one of the suggested books just the only one in our library. It is the story of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning—how they met, fell in love and eventually married. Both had achieved some literary success, although Elizabeth’s poetry was more critically acclaimed than Robert’s at the time. Elizabeth is about 36 years old when the story opens and because of continuing health problems she is living near the sea. She is a re...more
In How Do I Love Thee, author Nancy Moser gives us a glimpse into the life of Elizabeth Barrett. The title refers, of course, to her famous poem. Including lines like “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach,” I’ve always thought of Barrett as a passionate woman who lived a big life. Seems I didn't get that quite right.
The book opens with a housebound Barrett. In her thirties, she is already published and known for her poetry. But she is bedridden by a mysterious chron...more
The book opens with a housebound Barrett. In her thirties, she is already published and known for her poetry. But she is bedridden by a mysterious chron...more
I loved this book. This is the first Nancy Moser book I've read but I can't wait to get my hands on others.
I couldn't decide if I was going to give this book a 4 or 5 star rating. It was a bit slow in the first couple chapters and I almost returned the book to the library. But then I started getting really interested in Elizabeth and Robert and wanted to know how they were going to marry. If I could, I'd give this book a 4.5 rating.
While reading through the book, I couldn't help but wonder how...more
I couldn't decide if I was going to give this book a 4 or 5 star rating. It was a bit slow in the first couple chapters and I almost returned the book to the library. But then I started getting really interested in Elizabeth and Robert and wanted to know how they were going to marry. If I could, I'd give this book a 4.5 rating.
While reading through the book, I couldn't help but wonder how...more
Oh, where to begin? This novel by Nancy Moser tells the story of Elizabeth Barrett and how she became Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It starts with the accidental death of her brother while at Torquay and covers the next few years of EBB's life, including her courtship and marriage to Robert Browning, ending after the birth of their son.
I don't have much good to say about this novel. The description made it appear that this was mostly going to be the tale of EBB and RB - how they met and fell in lo...more
I don't have much good to say about this novel. The description made it appear that this was mostly going to be the tale of EBB and RB - how they met and fell in lo...more
This was a wonderful book! Nancy Moser drew you in from the first page to the very end. I highly recommend picking up this book and reading it! Moser has interwoven fact with fiction very well. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
Ba had to go through a lot of things in her life with her illness, and a father who ruled the household with an iron thumb. The trials Ba goes through, the emotions, and finally the happiness will make you think of your life and just maybe it relates to B...more
Ba had to go through a lot of things in her life with her illness, and a father who ruled the household with an iron thumb. The trials Ba goes through, the emotions, and finally the happiness will make you think of your life and just maybe it relates to B...more
Naturally, after reading Sonnets from the Portuguese: A Celebration of Love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and hearing the truly romantic tale of her elopement with fellow poet Robert Browning, I also fell victim to romanticizing the best love story of the Victorian age. As soon as I heard about this book, naturally I had to read it, and I must joyfully admit I found it very different than what I was expecting. The story begins at the tragic death of Elizabeth's brother, Bro, and carries the read...more
My most recent read has been How Do I Love Thee by Nancy Moser from BethanyHouse Publishers. To be released June 1, 2009 in Trade Paperback. I received an ARC copy from LibraryThing's EarlyReviewers program.
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The year is 1845. Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet--and a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. She has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives... "I l...more
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The year is 1845. Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet--and a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. She has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives... "I l...more
Because this is a Christian book I thought it would follow the road of basic writing and too much preaching, but I was wrong. I picked it up solely because I love EBB's poetry and the love story between her and Robert. The author made his story come to life in 19th century language and a vocabulary that surpasses most novels. She also used real letters wrien even to provide correct conversation, trying to make the evens as close to the truth as possible. Even her use of God was as it would be in...more
This wasn't necessarily a page-turner for me, but I enjoyed it.
You really read a lot, over and over, how she's an invalid and blindly devoted to her father. EBB and RB's romance was the most colorful part of the book, whereas most of the book seemed focused on her emotionally and physically weak state, never leaving her room, and mourning the death of her brother.
I absolutely loved how Robert Browning (according to this story) treated Elizabeth, the way he was so interested in her every thought...more
You really read a lot, over and over, how she's an invalid and blindly devoted to her father. EBB and RB's romance was the most colorful part of the book, whereas most of the book seemed focused on her emotionally and physically weak state, never leaving her room, and mourning the death of her brother.
I absolutely loved how Robert Browning (according to this story) treated Elizabeth, the way he was so interested in her every thought...more
First of all, I'd give this book 2.5 stars. It's not terrible, but parts of it are quite frustrating to read.
The novel tells the story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and since I find her sonnets beautiful, I thought it would be interesting. From the cover blurb, one would think that it primarily covers her romance with Robert Browning, but the book actually starts earlier than that. For the first hundred or so pages, we mainly get a feel for Elizabeth's life as the overly sheltered 36-year-old da...more
The novel tells the story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and since I find her sonnets beautiful, I thought it would be interesting. From the cover blurb, one would think that it primarily covers her romance with Robert Browning, but the book actually starts earlier than that. For the first hundred or so pages, we mainly get a feel for Elizabeth's life as the overly sheltered 36-year-old da...more
The entire first half of this novel is spent telling us over and over of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's feelings about her invalid lifestyle and her controlling father, which made her feel insecure and isolated. One well written chapter would have been enough for us to understand her situation before meeting Robert Browning. Reading their letters to each other was nearly like reading their poetry. We have the feeling that they (especially Elizabeth) kept trying to explain half of the things they w...more
I had really high hopes for "How do I Love Thee" because I love historical fiction and this one was based on the love story of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. Unfortunately, the pacing was way too slow for me and I could not stick with it. I stopped about halfway through and she had just made contact with Robert Browning. The first half of the book was dedicated to describing her family situation, her illness, and her overwhelming social anxiety and reclusiveness. I would like to learn mo...more
Christian romance isn't something I'd normally pick up, but I highly enjoyed this one, even more so when I read the section of the author's notes called "Fact or Fiction": everything in the book happened in real life! Elizabeth and Robert were written very well and although their romance doesn't begin until halfway (or a little over halfway) into the book, it's... it's so sweet and gentle. I loved it.
The two downfalls of the book (that didn't get it a 5 star rating) is that the author doesn't pr...more
The two downfalls of the book (that didn't get it a 5 star rating) is that the author doesn't pr...more
I don't usually like biographical fiction, but for some reason I picked this one up at the library.... and I'm so glad I did. Elizabeth Barrett's life was actually very interesting ... and not as depressing as I thought it would be. She survived a lifetime of illness, an abusive and controlling father, and her own fears (which I believe to have stemmed from her life experiences) and finally, with the help of her pen pal-turned-love Robert Browning, managed to break out of the prison she called h...more
This biographical novel about Elisabeth Barret Browning is an easy read while maintaining true to history. The author includes an appendix that indicates chapter-by-chapter true historical incidents and fictionalized moments so you know exactly what is real, what is not, and what is assumed. She excellently portrays the inward life of the poet, which is no easy feat, as the majority of E.B.B.'s life was indeed lived inwardly, being a recluse as she was. The author digs deeply into the poet's min...more
I've finally reached an impasse with this book. It needs to go back to the library and I have not yet finished it. What do I do? After thinking about it for a bit, I decided that this book is much too slow. After reading approx. 200 pages, the characters still were not progressing very far.
The book is written in the first person. We follow Elizabeth Barrett. At times I really enjoyed this character, especially when her poetry was discussed and she got more involved with her writing. I did not e...more
The book is written in the first person. We follow Elizabeth Barrett. At times I really enjoyed this character, especially when her poetry was discussed and she got more involved with her writing. I did not e...more
This is the story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her secret romance with Robert Browning. Being a 39 year old invalid bound to her room, she enjoys the pleasure of correspondence with writers. When faced with the opportunities to meet her correspondents face to face, her reclusiveness causes her to battle fear of people and the outside world constantly. But then Robert Browning writes her a letter, and her life changes forever.
The title, taken from one of her sonnets, is quite appropriate as...more
The title, taken from one of her sonnets, is quite appropriate as...more
I know I should like real books about real people better, but this was not only interesting and informative, it was an addicting story that I could hardly put down. (Ask my husband-I didn't want to go to sleep last night, even though I knew I'd be tired the next day.) What can I say? It was accurate enough for me to appreciate the history and learn about Elizabeth Barret Browning's life (my favorite non-fictions are memoirs) but the story was fabulous like non-fiction rarely does. Success!
This book is like no other I have ever read and it was really good. The plot was intertesting and the author did a wonderful job on the research. This author also has neat stuff in the back to show you more about fact vs. fiction. This book included Ba's Sonnets. The author does something Ba's contemporary novelists weren't doing and narrating inside the characters thoughts and emotions but the converstations were true to the period without sounding strained or fake like some historical fiction...more
This is historical fiction in that it takes real historical figures and fictionalizes their conversations as they recreate their lives. I enjoyed this book and especially finding out more about this amazing woman. It is a bit slow, which I thought it may be and was one reason I listened to it.
I read that the hard copy has explanations of what was true and what was made up, but the audio version did not have that. I hope sometime I can read that part.
I read that the hard copy has explanations of what was true and what was made up, but the audio version did not have that. I hope sometime I can read that part.
This was...okay. It wasn't really fantastic, but it was interesting enough for a summer read. The best parts of it were the snippets of letters from Barrett and Browning. I don't have a lot more to say - maybe it's just that I didn't really find the story terribly appealing, but it was definitely...lacking. Also: not a big fan of the main character as she was written in the novel, and it annoyed me.
This historical fiction book had a very slow start to it and I almost gave it up. I kept going because I wanted to learn more about this woman and the man she gave her family up for. At the end the author does a great job of going through each chapter stating what is fact and what was fiction. I'm glad I kept reading. Very interesting read, especially through the last 1/4th of the book.
This was a very good, accurate portrayal of the life of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It was a little bit slow moving at times, especially at the beginning, so I debated about whether it deserved 3 or 4 stars. The later part of the book was so good that I ended up with the higher of the two; I found myself cheering her on as she made small changes in her life. It is also a lovely touch that the author lets you know which parts are actually based on true events, and ahe also includes her best-...more
I was browsing the "Inspirational Fiction" shelf at the library when the title of this book caught my eye. Considering that "How Do I Love Thee?" has been one of my favourite poems for years, I just had to read it. I'm glad that I did.
I loved how the author used real incidents and parts of the letters written between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning to move her story along. I feel like I actually learned something while enjoying the novel . . . nice feeling, that! :)
I loved how the author used real incidents and parts of the letters written between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning to move her story along. I feel like I actually learned something while enjoying the novel . . . nice feeling, that! :)
I loved this book I knew the story of the Brownings because I'd seen the movie "The Barrets Of Wimpole Street" starring John Gielgud and Jennifer Jones. It makes me want to re-watch the movie all over again. I also knew the poem "How Do I Love Thee" by heart and it is one of my favorite poems. Looking forward to reading more by Nancy Moser.
boring, long-winded story. dwells far too much on her oppressive upbringing and not enough on her actual romance and relationship with Robert. He is not even introduced until more than half-way through the book. And even then is more of a side character while the book continues to focus on Elizabeth's father.
Anothe Great book by nancy Moser. This story is about Elizabeth Barrett Brownings life. I knew nothing about her going into the book aside from the poem the book is titled for. She had quite a life and the love story behind her and Robert Browning getting together was touching. Very well done.
There was so much the author had to go with that I sort of understand why it became a quite borring story. I have a new appriciation for EBB, and am interested in reading a biography now, but this book seems like Moser was trying too hard to BE the character and lost something.
Typically I love historical fiction but this was tiresome! Elizabeth, the "heroine", is an invalid, therefore she drove me insane. Her father has demanded that none of his children marry; he's crazy. I found myself absolutely dreading this book. I cannot wait to return it to the library!
Between the preachiness and her creepy daddy-worship, this book was hard to finish. The middle drug on especially much and had me counting pages until something interesting happened. However, maybe this really is a reflection of her life, always micromanaged by one of three men--her brother, father, and God--before meeting a man who actually valued her (and of course, valued God as well). Her sudden burst of health after marriage made me think that she wasn't so much ill as repressed--and her fa...more
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| Is It Historically Legitimate? | 1 | 2 | Dec 02, 2012 12:49pm |
Nancy Moser is the author of three inspirational humor books and a eighteen novels, including Mozart's Sister, Just Jane, and Time Lottery, a Christy Award winner. She is an inspirational speaker, giving seminars around the country. She has earned a degree in architecture; run a business with her husband; traveled extensively in Europe; and has performed in various theaters, symphonies, and choirs...more
More about Nancy Moser...
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“And though many women might enjoy the offering of such compliments, I did not want him to love me based on temporal things like a smile or voice or presence, things that could vanish through mood or an unexpected cloud. He must love me for the sake of love alone . . .”
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4 people liked it
“I reached for the notebook which was always close by. All thoughts of composing epic poems of Greek heroes had left me. The words that often burst from my onto the paper in recent days would be considered mere nothings to the world, but they were everything to me . . . They were the pourings of my heart FOR my heart . . .”
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3 people liked it
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Oct 26, 2010 03:48pm