The Lioness of Boston

 The Lioness of Boston is a fascinating historical novel about the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner, Bella or Mrs Jack.  

Emily Franklin has captured Boston and its snowy winters and hot summers beautifully.  If she has done so well with describing the city I have assume that her retelling of Bella Gardner's life is also percise and accurate also.  

This is a sort of slow moving novel, but then I guess that is how the real life of any famous person really is. There is so much to learn and it is an intriguing story but nothing earth shattering happens that moves a plot along quickly or with any suspense.  It is interesting to see that she was a woman who did not fit into the rules upper class society expected of her.  She was always looking to stretch the box that women were supposed to live in.  She had trouble making friends, though she did make good friends with those who also found themselves struggling with the behaviors expected of them in their social circles.  So she became good friends with artists and writers and even scientists who were on the fringes.

Her husband tolerated her antics and amazingly they stayed married throughout their lives.  He even assisted her and encouraged many of her purchases and ideas.  The most fun for me was reading about Boston at the turn of the last century and the  artists and artwork.  I took extra time while reading to look up many of the artists and their paintings.  

I also went to Emerson College when it was housed on Beacon Street.  We went to classes in 130 Beacon Street.  The cafeteria and the administrative offices were all at 150 Beacon Street. then I read that Isabella requested that her house number 152 never be used again after she moved out.  After Gardner moved to the Fenway where her house is now a museum, Eben Sumner Draper was the next owner and then Alvan Tufts Fuller also lived in the house.  Both men were later governors of Massachusetts.  It became known as the Governors Mansion.