{"product_id":"letters-to-sophia-kate-chisholm-9781836360131","title":"Letters to Sophia: The Afterlives of Hester Thrale","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe story of Hester Thrale's life after her second marriage to Gabriel Piozzi in 1784, told through the letters she wrote to her daughter Sophia.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe chance discovery of letters from Hester Thrale (1741-1821) to her daughter Sophia provides an opportunity to rethink our understanding of one of the key people in the life of the dictionary-maker and moralist Dr Samuel Johnson. Much-maligned after the death of her first husband for her decision to marry Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian musician and Catholic, Hester has often been portrayed as cold-hearted and lacking in the essentials of motherhood. These letters shed new light on her relations with her four surviving daughters (she gave birth to 12 children in 14 years). They also reveal her desire for recognition as a scholar and poet, and her keen awareness of her shortcomings. They provide a fascinating portrait of a complex woman, determining her independence and that of her daughters, in spite of family tragedy and vicious criticism in the press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Kate Chisholm,Loren Rothschild\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1836360134\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781836360131\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Kulturalis\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/20\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 194\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.71lbs","brand":"Kate Chisholm","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48089366823167,"sku":"9781836360131","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_544a16ac-a48e-4827-b61b-34a5e3b41d1f.jpg?v=1769109801","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/letters-to-sophia-kate-chisholm-9781836360131","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}