"Hildegarde's Neighbors" by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards is a captivating novel set in the Victorian era of New England, exploring the intricate dynamics of friendship, family, and community. Richards masterfully crafts a character-driven narrative that delves into the moral values and social dynamics of domestic life. Against the backdrop of a close-knit community, the novel follows Hildegarde and her neighbors as they navigate the complexities of interpersonal relationships and moral dilemmas. Richards skillfully explores themes of friendship, family loyalty, and the importance of community in shaping individual values. Set in the Victorian era, the novel offers readers a glimpse into the social norms and values of the time, while also highlighting timeless aspects of human nature and morality. Through richly drawn characters and evocative prose, Richards invites readers to reflect on the complexities of human relationships and the moral choices that define us. With its heartfelt portrayal of domestic life and its exploration of timeless themes, "Hildegarde's Neighbors" stands as a poignant testament to the enduring power of friendship, family, and community in shaping our lives.
Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards was an American writer. She wrote almost 90 books, including biographies, poetry, and many for children. Eletelephony, a literary nonsense verse, is one of her best-known children's poems. Laura Elizabeth Howe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 27, 1850. Her father, Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, was an abolitionist who founded the Perkins Institution and the Massachusetts School for the Blind. She was named after his famous deaf-blind student, Laura Bridgman. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was written by her mother, Julia Ward Howe. Laura and Henry Richards got married in 1871. In 1876, he accepted a management position at his family's paper mill in Gardiner, Maine, where he moved with his wife and three children. Laura was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1917 for her biography Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910, which she co-authored with her sisters Maud Howe Elliott and Florence Hall. Her name is borne by an elementary school in Gardiner, Maine, that serves prekindergarten through fifth grade students. Her children's book Tirra Lirra received the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1959. Her home in Gardiner, the Laura E. Richards House, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
