India: The Pearl of Pearl River is a 19th-century novel by American author E.D.E.N. Southworth. The novel tells the story of India, a beautiful and talented young woman who is raised in a Chinese household in the South. India is forced to flee her home after her father is murdered by a rival merchant. She then travels to the North, where she meets and falls in love with a young man named Harry. However, their love is forbidden, as Harry is from a wealthy family and India is from a poor one. India and Harry must overcome many obstacles in order to be together, including the disapproval of their families, the prejudice of society, and the threat of violence. The novel is a powerful story of love, loss, and redemption. It is a moving tale of two young people who are willing to fight for their love, even in the face of great adversity. India: The Pearl of Pearl River is a classic of American literature that has been enjoyed by readers for generations.
Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth (December 26, 1819 – June 30, 1899) was an American writer of more than 60 novels in the latter part of the 19th century. She was the most popular American novelist of her day. Southworth was born in Washington, D.C., to Susannah Wailes and Charles LeCompte Nevitte, a Virginia merchant. Her father died when she was five years old, and her mother remarried when she was eight. Southworth attended a school kept by her stepfather, Joshua L. Henshaw. She later recalled her childhood as a lonely one, with her happiest moments spent exploring Maryland's Tidewater region on horseback. During those rides, she acquired an abiding interest in the area's history and folklore. Southworth began writing at a young age, and her first novel, Retribution, was published in 1849. The novel was a success, and Southworth quickly became one of the most popular writers in America.
