Mary Shelley

This comprehensive overview of Mary Shelley's life as an author frequently reads like an anthology of extracts from some of the most lurid and sensationalist novels of the early 19th century. After the stormy years of her relationship with Percy Shelley ended in his tragic death, Mary went on to raise her one surviving son, never sure of the loyalty of friends and threatened and intimidated by her dead husband's father. Shelley is known best as the author of Frankenstein, and an important function of this book is to reassess her achievement as the author of seven novels, innumerable short stories, biography, travel writing, and as the first editor of Percy Shelley's poetry and prose.

This comprehensive overview of Mary Shelley's life as an author frequently reads like an anthology of extracts from some of the most lurid and sensationalist novels of the early 19th century. After the stormy years of her relationship with Percy Shelley ended in his tragic death, Mary went on to raise her one surviving son, never sure of the loyalty of friends and threatened and intimidated by her dead husband's father. Shelley is known best as the author of Frankenstein, and an important function of this book is to reassess her achievement as the author of seven novels, innumerable short stories, biography, travel writing, and as the first editor of Percy Shelley's poetry and prose.

Booknews

Williams (literature studies, U. of Greenwich, England) writes a literary life of Mary Shelley (1797-1851), with emphasis on her less well-known works, including novels, short stories, biographies, and travel writing, as well as her famous novel and her work as editor of her husband's poetry and prose. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

John Williams (1922-1994) was born and raised in northeast Texas. Despite a talent for writing and acting, Williams flunked out of a local junior college after his first year. He reluctantly joined the war effort, enlisting in the Army Air Corps, and managing to write a draft of his first novel while there. Once home, Williams found a small publisher for the novel and enrolled at the University of Denver, where he was eventually to receive both his B.A. and M.A., and where he was to return as an instructor in 1954.