Book Description
One of literary history’s most enduring mysteries, Esther Johnson was Jonathan Swift’s friend, secretary, confidante, and muse. She was the Stella of his poems—and possibly his wife. From scant facts and the few writings credited to Esther Johnson, Trudy J. Morgan-Cole creates a brilliantly realized, Brontë-esque portrait of a remarkable woman and her lifelong relationship with one of the giants of Western literature.
Unlike most women of the early eighteenth century, Esther led a life governed by choice. She had been born into the servant class, but unexpected fortune led her into an uneasy, sometimes treacherous independence. She could choose how to live and with whom to socialize—and whether and whom to marry. One of the few constants in her life was Jonathan Swift, whom she’d met when she was only eight years old. Morgan-Cole mines deeply that relationship to explore the nature and boundaries of love—platonic, romantic, and sexual.
Beautifully written and meticulously researched, The Violent Friendship of Esther Johnson offers a fascinating and emotionally rich portrait of an unforgettable woman.
About the Author
Trudy J. Morgan-Cole lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She published several works of young-adult fiction before writing
The Violent Friendship of Esther Johnson, which won the H.R. (Bill) Percy Prize for Unpublished Novel in Atlantic Writing Competition in 2000. After working as a high-school teacher for many years, Trudy now teaches English and creative writing to adult learners. She is married to Jason Cole and has two children, Christopher and Emma.
