New Releases by Jennifer Chiaverini

The cast of a smash TV show arrives at a quilter’s retreat for week of camaraderie and creativity that takes some surprising twists in this heartwarming new installment of Jennifer Chiaverini’s much-beloved Elm Creek Quilts series. Acclaimed TV actress Julia Merchaud almost can’t believe her good fortune. Her beloved historical drama, A Patchwork Life, revived her career and made stars of several younger actors. But Julia’s happiness turns to dismay when she learns that the hit show will have only one more season. Can she convince everyone to stay just a little longer? Inspiration comes after a conversation with Summer Sullivan, one of the expert quilters who helped Julia prepare for her role. When Summer confides that Elm Creek Quilt Camp is in financial trouble, Julia concocts a brilliant plan that will help the Elm Creek Quilters and herself. Julia sets about persuading the cast and crew to join her for what she promises will be a marvelous week at a luxurious nineteenth-century mansion amid the autumnal splendor of central Pennsylvania, a creative and dynamic working vacation they’ll never forget. Secretly, she hopes the bonding experience will convince them to abandon their other plans and sign on for another few seasons. But after several joyful days of quilting and camaraderie, Julia’s scheme takes an unexpected turn. Soon she’ll have to make hard choices about which matters more—career or friendship.

A timely celebration of quilting, family, community, and history in this latest novel in the perennially popular Elm Creek Quilts series from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini. As fall paints the Pennsylvania countryside in flaming colors, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson is contemplating the future of her beloved Elm Creek Quilts. The Elm Creek Quilt Camp remains the most popular quilter’s retreat in the country, but unexpected financial difficulties have beset them and the Bergstrom family’s stately nineteenth-century manor. Now in her eighth decade, Sylvia is determined to maintain her family’s legacy, but she needs new resources—financial and emotional. Summer Sullivan—a founding Elm Creek Quilter—arrives to discuss an antique quilt that she wants to display at the Waterford Historical Society’s quilt exhibit. When Sylvia and her sister Claudia were teenagers, they had entered a quilt in the Sears National Quilt Contest for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair. The Bergstrom sisters’ quilt would be perfect for the Historical Society’s exhibit, Summer explains. Sylvia is reluctant to lend out the quilt, which has been stored in the attic for decades, nearly forgotten. In keeping with the contest’s “Century of Progress” theme, the girls illustrated progress of values—scenes of the Emancipation Proclamation, woman’s suffrage, and labor unions. But although it won ribbons, the quilt also drove a wedge between the sisters. As Sylvia reluctantly retraces her quilt’s story for Summer, she makes an unexpected discovery—one that restores some of her faith in this unique work of art, and helps shine some light on a way forward for the Elm Creek Quilts community.

Jennifer Chiaverini’s beloved and bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series returns with the first Elm Creek Quilts novel since 2019’s The Christmas Boutique. Summer Sullivan, the youngest founding member of Elm Creek Quilts, has spent the last two years pursuing a master’s degree in history at the University of Chicago. Her unexpected return home to the celebrated quilter’s retreat is met with delight but also concern from her mother, Gwen; her best friend, Sarah; master quilter Sylvia; and her other colleagues—and rightly so. Stymied by writer’s block, Summer hasn’t finished her thesis, and she can’t graduate until she does. Elm Creek Manor offers respite while Summer struggles to meet her extended deadline. She finds welcome distraction in organizing an exhibit of antique quilts as a fundraiser to renovate Union Hall, the 1863 Greek Revival headquarters of the Waterford Historical Society. But Summer’s research uncovers startling facts about Waterford’s past, prompting unsettling questions about racism, economic injustice, and political corruption within their community, past and present. As Summer’s work progresses, quilt lovers and history buffs praise the growing collection, but affronted local leaders demand that she remove all references to Waterford’s troubled history. As controversy threatens the exhibit’s success, Summer fears that her pursuit of the truth might cost the Waterford Historical Society their last chance to save Union Hall. Her only hope is to rally the quilting community to her cause. The Museum of Lost Quilts is a warm and deeply moving story about the power of collective memory. With every fascinating quilt she studies, Summer finds her passion for history renewed—and discovers a promising new future for herself.

Rosie the Riveter meets A League of Their Own in New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini’s lively and illuminating novel about the “munitionettes” who built bombs in Britain’s arsenals during World War I, risking their lives for the war effort and discovering camaraderie and courage on the football pitch. Early in the Great War, men left Britain’s factories in droves to enlist. Struggling to keep up production, arsenals hired women to build the weapons the military urgently needed. “Be the Girl Behind the Man Behind the Gun,” the recruitment posters beckoned. Thousands of women—cooks, maids, shopgirls, and housewives—answered their nation’s call. These “munitionettes” worked grueling shifts often seven days a week, handling TNT and other explosives with little protective gear. Among them is nineteen-year-old former housemaid April Tipton. Impressed by her friend Marjorie’s descriptions of higher wages, plentiful meals, and comfortable lodgings, she takes a job at Thornshire Arsenal near London, filling shells in the Danger Building—difficult, dangerous, and absolutely essential work. Joining them is Lucy Dempsey, wife of Daniel Dempsey, Olympic gold medalist and star forward of Tottenham Hotspur. With Daniel away serving in the Footballers’ Battalion, Lucy resolves to do her bit to hasten the end of the war. When her coworkers learn she is a footballer’s wife, they invite her to join the arsenal ladies’ football club, the Thornshire Canaries. The Canaries soon acquire an unexpected fan in the boss’s wife, Helen Purcell, who is deeply troubled by reports that Danger Building workers suffer from serious, unexplained illnesses. One common symptom, the lurid yellow hue of their skin, earns them the nickname “canary girls.” Suspecting a connection between the canary girls’ maladies and the chemicals they handle, Helen joins the arsenal administration as their staunchest, though often unappreciated, advocate. The football pitch is the one place where class distinctions and fears for their men fall away. As the war grinds on and tragedy takes its toll, the Canary Girls persist despite the dangers, proud to serve, determined to outlive the war and rejoice in victory and peace.

Jennifer Chiaverini presenta una novela osada y reveladora sobre una de las grandes historias jamás contadas de la Primera Guerra Mundial: la de las mujeres del Cuerpo de Señales del Ejército de los Estados Unidos. En junio de 1917, el general John Pershing llegó a Francia con el objetivo de establecer las fuerzas norteamericanas en Europa. Descubrió rápido que comunicarse con las tropas destacadas en el campo de batalla era imposible. Necesitaba operadores capaces de gestionar las conexiones con rapidez y precisión, que hablaran perfectamente francés e inglés, que mantuvieran la serenidad en caso de encontrarse bajo el fuego enemigo y que fuesen totalmente discretos, puesto que las comunicaciones contenían información clasificada. Respondieron al anuncio más de 7600 mujeres, entre ellas Grace Banker, que trabajaba en AT&T impartiendo cursos de manejo de centralitas; Marie Miossec, francesa y cantante de ópera; y Valerie DeSmedt, de veinte años, operadora en Pacific Telephone y decidida a luchar a favor de Bélgica, su país de origen. Las tres estuvieron entre las primeras mujeres que juraron lealtad al Ejército de los Estados Unidos. Los soldados varones a los que sustituyeron necesitaban un minuto para conectar una llamada. Las soldados de centralita lo hacían en solo diez segundos. Ridiculizadas a veces con el mote de «chicas hola», las mujeres del Cuerpo de Señales del Ejército de los Estados Unidos sirvieron con honor y jugaron un papel esencial en la consecución de la victoria aliada. El riesgo de muerte era real —trabajaban mientras llovían bombas a su alrededor—, igual que la amenaza de una nueva enfermedad mortal: la gripe española. No todas las operadoras telefónicas lograrían sobrevivir. Su historia nunca había sido el eje central de una novela... hasta ahora. «Una novela reveladora y detallada sobre unas mujeres admirables... Chiaverini teje los hilos que se entrecruzan en la vida de estas valientes mujeres soldado, destacando su profundo sentido del orgullo y el deber». KIRKUS REVIEWS

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini returns with The Women’s March, an enthralling historical novel of the women’s suffrage movement inspired by three courageous women who bravely risked their lives and liberty in the fight to win the vote. Twenty-five-year-old Alice Paul returns to her native New Jersey after several years on the front lines of the suffrage movement in Great Britain. Weakened from imprisonment and hunger strikes, she is nevertheless determined to invigorate the stagnant suffrage movement in her homeland. Nine states have already granted women voting rights, but only a constitutional amendment will secure the vote for all. To inspire support for the campaign, Alice organizes a magnificent procession down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, the day before the inauguration of President-elect Woodrow Wilson, a firm antisuffragist. Joining the march is thirty-nine-year-old New Yorker Maud Malone, librarian and advocate for women’s and workers’ rights. The daughter of Irish immigrants, Maud has acquired a reputation—and a criminal record—for interrupting politicians’ speeches with pointed questions they’d rather ignore. Civil rights activist and journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett resolves that women of color must also be included in the march—and the proposed amendment. Born into slavery in Mississippi, Ida worries that white suffragists may exclude Black women if it serves their own interests. On March 3, 1913, the glorious march commences, but negligent police allow vast crowds of belligerent men to block the parade route—jeering, shouting threats, assaulting the marchers—endangering not only the success of the demonstration but the women’s very lives. Inspired by actual events, The Women’s March offers a fascinating account of a crucial but little-remembered moment in American history, a turning point in the struggle for women’s rights.

“Jennifer Chiaverini ci regala la storia, documentata e coinvolgente, di un gruppo di donne che non volle abbassare la testa, in un’esplorazione intima e allo stesso tempo storicamente solida degli anni che hanno preceduto e attraversato la Seconda guerra mondiale.” Publishers Weekly “Una storia di coraggio e libertà. Affascinante e indimenticabile.” Kirkus “I molti fan di Jennifer Chiaverini, e ogni lettore di narrativa storica che ami personaggi femminili forti e determinati, apprezzeranno moltissimo questo romanzo illuminante ambientato a ridosso della Seconda guerra mondiale.” Booklist 1929. Mildred Fish, una ragazza del Wisconsin, ha appena sposato Arvid Harnack, un brillante economista tedesco, e si è trasferita in Germania lasciandosi tutto alle spalle, inseguendo il sogno di un roseo futuro. Nella scintillante Berlino degli anni Trenta la coppia ha una vita felice, piena di amore e nuove amicizie, ed entrambi si immergono in appaganti esperienze di lavoro. Ma l’ombra del violento partito capitanato da Hitler, che di anno in anno raccoglie sempre più consensi, si estende minacciosa e irrefrenabile. Mildred decide di non sottomettersi alla dittatura del Führer. Così crea un gruppo di resistenza con Martha Dodd, la vivace e anticonvenzionale figlia dell’ambasciatore americano, Greta Kuckhoff, un’aspirante sceneggiatrice tedesca, e Sara Weitz, una studentessa di letteratura. Insieme, le quattro donne accettano di rischiare la loro vita per raccogliere informazioni sensibili da giornalisti, ufficiali militari e funzionari del Partito nazista. Per anni combattono una silenziosa guerriglia clandestina con lo scopo di sabotare il Terzo Reich, cercando di rimanere nell’anonimato e proteggersi a vicenda. Ma quando un segnale radio viene intercettato dai nazisti, il loro gruppo si trova all’improvviso in grande pericolo... Ispirato a un evento storico realmente avvenuto, Le donne dell’Orchestra Rossa racconta la vita di una donna coraggiosa, determinata a combattere per la libertà e la giustizia. Dopo L’incantatrice dei numeri e La sarta di Mary Lincoln, Jennifer Chiaverini racconta con il suo stile elegante e coinvolgente un’indimenticabile storia di resistenza e sorellanza.

The extraordinary ‘Harriet’s Journey’ 100-block sampler quilt from Jennifer Chiaverini Author and quilt designer Jennifer Chiaverini is back with a beautiful new sampler based on her ninth Elm Creek Quilts novel. In Circle of Quilters, one woman’s discovery of an exquisite sampler quilt utterly changed her fate; immerse yourself in the story and create the same 100-block sampler of this best-selling novel! Follow the step-by-step instructions to cut and piece blocks, or simply use the included foundation piecing patterns—the choice is yours. Mingling vintage favorites with never-before-seen designs, the blocks will intrigue quilters of all skill levels. An inspirational gallery shows off the 6” finished squares in a variety of settings. Best-selling novelist and quilter returns with another Elm Creek Quilts masterpiece Recreate 100 blocks—a mix of new and classic designs—for adventurous beginners and experienced quilters Traditionally piece blocks or use foundation patterns

“A fascinating glimpse into the women of an influential family on the front lines of some of the most important moments of that indelible time."--Booklist The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker returns to her most famous heroine, Mary Todd Lincoln, in this compelling story of love, loss, and sisterhood rich with history and suspense. In May 1875, Elizabeth Todd Edwards reels from news that her younger sister Mary, former First Lady and widow of President Abraham Lincoln, has attempted suicide. Mary’s shocking act followed legal proceedings arranged by her eldest and only surviving son that declared her legally insane. Although they have long been estranged, Elizabeth knows Mary’s tenuous mental health has deteriorated through decades of trauma and loss. Yet is her suicide attempt truly the impulse of a deranged mind, or the desperate act of a sane woman terrified to be committed to an asylum? And—if her sisters can put past grievances aside—is their love powerful enough to save her? Maternal Elizabeth, peacemaker Frances, envious Ann, and much adored Emilie had always turned to one another in times of joy and heartache, first as children, and later as young wives and mothers. But when Civil War erupted, the conflict that divided a nation shattered their family. The Todd sisters’s fates were bound to their husbands’ choices as some joined the Lincoln administration, others the Confederate Army. Now, though discord and tragedy have strained their bonds, Elizabeth knows they must come together as sisters to help Mary in her most desperate hour.

Depois do casamento de Mildred Fish, uma estudante de pós-graduação do Wisconsin, com o brilhante economista alemão, Arvid Harnack, ela acompanha-o de bom grado até à sua terra natal, onde um futuro brilhante os espera. Na fervilhante cultura intelectual da Berlim dos anos trinta, os recém-casados criam uma vida nova e rica, repleta de amor, amizades e trabalho gratificante. No entanto, a ascensão de uma nova fação política malévola altera inexoravelmente o seu destino. Enquanto Adolf Hitler e o seu Partido Nazi exercem violência e propagam mentiras para tomar o poder, Mildred, Arvid e os amigos decidem resistir. Mildred reúne informação para transmitir aos seus contactos americanos, incluindo Martha Dodd, a vivaz e muito moderna filha do embaixador dos Estados Unidos. As suas amigas alemãs, a aspirante a escritora Greta Kuckoff e a estudante de literatura Sara Weitz, arriscam as suas vidas para conseguirem informação de jornalistas, oficiais do exército e funcionarios nos níveis mais elevados da estrutura nazi. Durante anos, a rede de Mildred luta continuamente para derrubar o Terceiro Reich a partir do interior. Contudo, quando os operacionais de radiocomunicações detetam um sinal ruso extraviado, a célula de resistência dos Harnack é descoberta, com consequências fatais. Inspirado em acontecimentos reais, As mulheres da Orquestra Vermelha é uma história fascinante e inesquecível sobre pessoas normais determinadas a resistir à ascensão do mal, sacrificando as suas vidas e a sua liberdade para combater a injustiça e defender os oprimidos. CHIAVERINI ENCHANTRESS OF NUMBERS "Uma história fascinante sobre a luta de uma mulher por reconhecimento e independência intelectual." PEOPLE (BOOK OF THE WEEK) "[Um] extraordinário romance biográfico... um exemplo essencial do género." BOOKLIST "Estimado leitor, caso se depare com Enchantress of Numbers, de Jennifer Chiaverini, considere-se realmente muito afortunado..." USA TODAY "Chiaverini escreve histórias cativantes sobre mulheres esquecidas pela História... Emocionalmente sugestivo e rico em detalhes, este romance histórico mantê-lo-á fascinado até ao fim." BUSTLE "Jennifer Chiaverini é mestre em ficção histórica e o seu último romance, Enchantress of Numbers, não é exceção. O leitor ficará colado às suas páginas." POPSUGAR "Chiaverini mostra, mais uma vez, a sua extraordinária aptidão para insuflar de vida figuras históricas sobre as quais se sabe demasiado pouco." SHELF AWARENESS "O mais recente romance histórico de Chiaverini reinventa magistralmente as vidas reais de Mildred Fish Harnack, Greta Lorke, Martha Dodd... Um conto impressionante e complexo sobre a coragem de pessoas normais." KIRKUS REVIEWS

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini returns with a delightful Christmas-themed installment in her beloved Elm Creek Quilts series—a captivating, heartwarming tale sure to become a holiday favorite. Just weeks before Christmas, severe wintry weather damages the church hall hosting the Christmas Boutique—an annual sale of handcrafted gifts and baked goods that supports the county food pantry. Determined to save the fundraiser, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson offers to hold the event at Elm Creek Manor, her ancestral family estate and summertime home to Elm Creek Quilt Camp. In the spirit of the season, Sylvia and the Elm Creek Quilters begin setting up market booths in the ballroom and decking the halls with beautiful hand-made holiday quilts. Each of the quilters chooses a favorite quilt to display, a special creation evoking memories of holidays past and dreams of Christmases yet to come. Sarah, a first-time mother expecting twins, worries if she can handle raising two babies, especially with her husband so often away on business. Cheerful, white-haired Agnes reflects upon a beautiful appliqué quilt she made as a young bride and the mysterious, long-lost antique quilt that inspired it. Empty nesters and occasional rivals Gwen and Diane contemplate family heirlooms and unfinished projects as they look forward to having their children home again for the holidays. But while the Elm Creek Quilters work tirelessly to make sure the Christmas Boutique happens, it may take a holiday miracle or two to make it the smashing success they want it to be. Praised for her ability to craft “a wonderful holiday mix of family legacy, reconciliation and shared experiences” (Tucson Citizen), Jennifer Chiaverini once again rings in the festive season with this eagerly awaited addition in her beloved series.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, an enthralling historical saga that recreates the danger, romance, and sacrifice of an era and brings to life one courageous, passionate American—Mildred Fish Harnack—and her circle of women friends who waged a clandestine battle against Hitler in Nazi Berlin. After Wisconsin graduate student Mildred Fish marries brilliant German economist Arvid Harnack, she accompanies him to his German homeland, where a promising future awaits. In the thriving intellectual culture of 1930s Berlin, the newlyweds create a rich new life filled with love, friendships, and rewarding work—but the rise of a malevolent new political faction inexorably changes their fate. As Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party wield violence and lies to seize power, Mildred, Arvid, and their friends resolve to resist. Mildred gathers intelligence for her American contacts, including Martha Dodd, the vivacious and very modern daughter of the US ambassador. Her German friends, aspiring author Greta Kuckoff and literature student Sara Weitz, risk their lives to collect information from journalists, military officers, and officials within the highest levels of the Nazi regime. For years, Mildred’s network stealthily fights to bring down the Third Reich from within. But when Nazi radio operatives detect an errant Russian signal, the Harnack resistance cell is exposed, with fatal consequences. Inspired by actual events, Resistance Women is an enthralling, unforgettable story of ordinary people determined to resist the rise of evil, sacrificing their own lives and liberty to fight injustice and defend the oppressed.

The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln''s Dressmaker and Switchboard Soldiers illuminates the life of Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace—Lord Byron’s daughter and the world’s first computer programmer. The only legitimate child of Lord Byron, the most brilliant, revered, and scandalous of the Romantic poets, Ada was destined for fame long before her birth. But her mathematician mother, estranged from Ada''s infamous and destructively passionate father, is determined to save her only child from her perilous Byron heritage. Banishing fairy tales and make-believe from the nursery, Ada’s mother provides her daughter with a rigorous education grounded in mathematics and science. Any troubling spark of imagination—or worse yet, passion or poetry—is promptly extinguished. Or so her mother believes. When Ada is introduced into London society as a highly eligible young heiress, she at last discovers the intellectual and social circles she has craved all her life. Little does she realize how her exciting new friendship with Charles Babbage—the brilliant, charming, and occasionally curmudgeonly inventor of an extraordinary machine, the Difference Engine—will define her destiny. Enchantress of Numbers unveils the passions, dreams, and insatiable thirst for knowledge of a largely unheralded pioneer in computing—a young woman who stepped out of her father’s shadow to achieve her own laurels and champion the new technology that would shape the future.

John Wilkes Booth''s misguided quest to avenge the vanquished Confederacy led him to commit one of the most notorious acts in the annals of America. Four women were integral in his life: Mary Ann, the mother he revered above all but country; his sister and confidante, Asia; Lucy Lambert Hale, the senator''s daughter who loved him; and the Confederate widow Mary Surratt, to whom he entrusted the secrets of his vengeful wrath. As their stories intertwine we witness a soul in turmoil-- and a country at the precipice of immense change.

The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln''s Dressmaker and Mrs. Lincoln''s Rival imagines the inner life of Julia Grant, beloved as a Civil War general’s wife and the First Lady, yet who grappled with a profound and complex relationship with the slave who was her namesake—until she forged a proud identity of her own. In 1844, Missouri belle Julia Dent met dazzling horseman Lieutenant Ulysses S Grant. Four years passed before their parents permitted them to wed, and the groom’s abolitionist family refused to attend the ceremony. Since childhood, Julia owned as a slave another Julia, known as Jule. Jule guarded her mistress’s closely held twin secrets: She had perilously poor vision but was gifted with prophetic sight. So it was that Jule became Julia’s eyes to the world. And what a world it was, marked by gathering clouds of war. The Grants vowed never to be separated, but as Ulysses rose through the ranks—becoming general in chief of the Union Army—so did the stakes of their pact. During the war, Julia would travel, often in the company of Jule and the four Grant children, facing unreliable transportation and certain danger to be at her husband’s side. Yet Julia and Jule saw two different wars. While Julia spoke out for women—Union and Confederate—she continued to hold Jule as a slave behind Union lines. Upon the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, Jule claimed her freedom and rose to prominence as a businesswoman in her own right, taking the honorary title Madame. The two women’s paths continued to cross throughout the Grants’ White House years in Washington, DC, and later in New York City, the site of Grant’s Tomb. Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule is the first novel to chronicle this singular relationship, bound by sight and shadow.

De zomer op Elm Creek Quilt kamp loopt weer op zijn einde en Bonnie ziet op tegen de eenzame winter nu haar quiltwinkel is gesloten en met een scheiding in het vooruitzicht. De onverwachte uitnodiging van Claire om haar op Hawaï te komen helpen bij het opzetten van een quiltkamp komt precies op het goede moment. Al snel raakt Bonnie verzeild in vele avonturen.Maar dan besluit haar overspelige echtgenoot dat hij zijn aandeel in Elm Creek Quilts terug wil en brengt zo haar financiën en dierbaarste vriendschappen in gevaar. Gelukkig maakt ze ook nieuwe vrienden, zoals Hinano Paoa, de eigenaar van de plaatselijke muziekwinkel. Door hem leert Bonnie de tradities en cultuur van Hawaï kennen en ontdekt ze totaal onverwacht opnieuw de liefde.

Een Amerikaanse gescheiden vrouw met een passie voor quilten probeert hiervoor interesse te wekken op Hawaï.

1860. Novembre. Mancano poche ore al risultato delle elezioni per il sedicesimo presidente degli Stati Uniti d''America e a Washington la tensione è altissima. Le strade brulicano di uomini che fanno la spola fra taverne e alberghi in cerca di notizie o si assiepano davanti alle porte dell’ufficio del telegrafo. Le sale dei circoli che costellano il quartiere della Casa Bianca sono già piene di passanti accorsi numerosi per approfittare del whisky offerto gratuitamente. Soltanto una donna di colore, Elizabeth Keckley, si affretta a tornare alla sua pensione di mattoni rossi stringendo al petto il suo cesto da cucito. È una sarta specializzata in eleganti abiti femminili alla moda. A Saint Louis, dopo anni di sacrifici e risparmi, è riuscita a comprare la libertà per sé e per il figlio George, studente in una lontana università dell’Ohio. Si è trasferita a Washington, la capitale federale dell’Unione, animata da un solo intento: continuare a garantire al figlio quell’istruzione che a lei è stata preclusa. Nonostante il clima teso a causa delle dispute legate all’abolizione della schiavitù e ai propositi secessionisti del Sud, Lizzie lavora alacremente. Non importa se per orlare le tende di un hotel malandato riceva soltanto due dollari e mezzo o se, per ultimare il vestito della moglie del senatore Davis, rientri così tardi da avere a malapena il tempo per un pasto e un bagno. Bravissima a confezionare i corpetti complicati e aderenti per i quali le dame del tempo impazziscono, Lizzie vede la sua fama accrescersi e farsi largo a poco a poco tra i circoli più in vista della città. Finché un giorno non si trova al cospetto di una donna sulla quarantina dai capelli scuri, con una bella carnagione e limpidi occhi azzurri che denotano acume e intelligenza: Mrs Mary Lincoln, la moglie del presidente appena eletto, la first lady nota per le sue bizze e i suoi improvvisi accessi d’ira. Lizzie le sistema magnificamente un abito rosa di moiré antico che Mary sfoggia con successo al primo grande ricevimento in onore dell’insediamento del marito. Da quel momento diviene non soltanto la sarta personale di Mrs Lincoln, colei che si occupa di vestirla e acconciarla per balli, cene e ricevimenti, ma anche la ex schiava cui l’inquieta, volubile Mary confida le sue angustie e i suoi rancori, il suo disappunto di first lady oggetto di malevolenze, invidie e gelosie. Un sodalizio che da parte della fedele Lizzie non verrà mai meno, neanche quando Mary Lincoln, sola e abbandonata da tutti, dopo aver perso il figlio Willie, a causa di una malattia, e poi il marito, vittima di un attentato, rivolgerà il suo risentimento contro di lei, scambiando un estremo gesto d’amore per un insulto alla sua dignità di ex first lady dell’Unione. Con uno stile avvincente e una trama arricchita da splendide descrizioni che restituiscono tutto il fascino dell''epoca, La sarta di Mary Lincoln, New York Times bestseller, «porta alla luce, con stile, grazia e rispetto, gli scatti dimenticati di un’America passata» (Book Reviews), raccontandoci la storia vera di Elizabeth Keckley: ex schiava, sarta della Casa Bianca e autrice di un libro di memorie che scandalizzò l''intera nazione. «L’avvincente storia di Mary Todd Lincoln, first lady, e di Lizzie Keckley, ex schiava diventata confidente e sarta di Mrs Lincoln». New York Post «Jennifer Chiaverini immagina gli eventi più privati della first lady attraverso gli occhi di una confidente». Harper’s Bazaar «Un raffinato romanzo storico». Publishers Weekly

Pledging her loyalty to the North at the risk of her life when her native Virginia secedes, Quaker-educated aristocrat Elizabeth Van Lew uses her innate skills for gathering military intelligence to help construct the Richmond underground and orchestrate escapes from the infamous Confederate Libby Prison.

The Master Quilter opens with the sound of wedding bells ringing in the ears of the Elm Creek Quilters. The close-knit group can hardly believe that their own Sylvia Compson planned her holiday wedding to sweetheart Andrew in complete secrecy, without the help of even one of her friends. Eager to honour the newlyweds, the Elm Creek Quilters hasten to stitch a bridal quilt for their favourite Master Quilter. As the quilt blocks accumulate, the Elm Creek Quilters celebrate the joy of new beginnings and the ongoing success of their business - until forces conspire to threaten their happiness and prosperity. Two among them falter in their personal relationships, yet they are too proud to share their pain. The financial problems of another leave the quilt project vulnerable to a malicious act that may prevent its completion. And as two others weigh the comfort of the present against dreams of a future far from Elm Creek Manor, closely guarded secrets strain the bonds of friendship with those who may be left behind.

The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker and Canary Girls reveals Mary Todd Lincoln’s very public social and political contest with Kate Chase Sprague in this astute and lively novel of the politics of state—set against the backdrop of Civil War Era Washington. Beautiful, intelligent, regal, and entrancing, young Kate Chase Sprague stepped into the role of establishing her thrice-widowed father, Salmon P. Chase, in Washington society as a Lincoln cabinet member and as a future presidential candidate. For her efforts, The Washington Star declared her “the most brilliant woman of her day. None outshone her.” None, that is, but Mary Todd Lincoln. Though Mrs. Lincoln and her young rival held much in common—political acumen, love of country, and a resolute determination to help the men they loved achieve greatness—they could never be friends, for the success of one could come only at the expense of the other...

Offers a guided tour to Elm Creek Manor, which features prominently in the book series, including a detailed look at the Bergstrom family tree, biographies of each character, illustrations of quilt blocks, and a short story.

Als Sarah McClure en haar man Matt naar het kleine dorpje Waterford verhuizen, is Sarah in eerste instantie behoorlijk eenzaam. Het lukt haar maar niet om een baan te vinden, totdat ze aarzelend het aanbod aanneemt van de rijke weduwe Sylvia Compson. Sarah zal haar helpen haar familielandgoed Elm Creek Manor op te knappen voor de verkoop, en als dank voor haar hulp zal de norse oude dame Sarah leren quilten. Al snel vindt Sarah haar draai, zeker als ze gevraagd wordt om lid te worden van de plaatselijke quiltclub. De excentrieke vrouwen die ze zo leert kennen, worden algauw echte vriendinnen. Wanneer Sylvia vertelt dat ze eigenlijk dolgraag op het landgoed zou blijven wonen, maar dat het haar te veel herinnert aan het ongelukkige lot dat haar familie is overkomen, doet ze Sarah en Matt een voorstel... De quiltclub is een inspirerende en hartverwarmende roman over familiebanden, vriendschap en vertrouwen. Quilten is zoals het leven: met tijd, liefde en geduld breng je verschillende, ongelijke stukjes bij elkaar tot een harmonieus en prachtig geheel.

Prinses van Perzië, dat losjes is gebaseerd op het leven van prinses Pari Khan Khanoom, is niet alleen een indringend verhaal over verraad en intriges, maar vooral een ontroerend portret van de onwaarschijnlijke vriendschap tussen een prinses en een bediende. Anita Amirrezvani s rijke proza brengt, net als in Dochter van Isfahan, een wereld tot leven die wordt bevolkt door hartstochtelijke, dappere karakters.

Stitch a piece of history with patterns for making your own quilt inspired by the New York Times–bestselling series! Inspired by Jennifer Chiaverini’s bestselling novel The Union Quilters, this sampler quilt offers a treasure trove of traditional blocks sewn by the women of Elm Creek Valley to support their troops during the American Civil War. The book includes historical notes on the novel and photos of nine Loyal Union Samplers made by Jennifer and other Elm Creek Quilts lovers from around the world. These blocks can be mixed and matched with blocks from Jennifer’s wildly popular Elm Creek Quilts sampler, Sylvia''s Bridal Sampler. ·121 traditional 6” quilt blocks ·Links to full-sized patterns for every block, plus instructions for assembling the quilt ·Start an Elm Creek Quilt club and feature a different block at each meeting

When the creative residents of Elm Creek gather the week after Thanksgiving to work on quilts for Project Linus, they respond to Sylvia''s provocative questions to alleviate respective personal challenges and learn helpful lessons about the strength of human connections.

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini returns with a Prohibition-era novel about one woman’s journey to save her family—and herself With the nation in the throes of Prohibition, Rosa Diaz Barclay unwittingly discovers that her husband, John, has given over the duties of their Southern California rye farm in favor of armed bootlegging. Fearing the safety of her four beloved children, Rosa flees, with little more than a suitcase filled with John’s ill-gotten gains and her heirloom quilts. Accompanying her is Lars, a good but flawed man who is the mother of two of her children. Under assumed names, Lars and Rosa hire on at a Sonoma County vineyard, seeking not only refuge from danger, but convalescence for two of the children, who suffer from a mysterious wasting disease. The devotion of the Italian-American community to the craft of viticulture inspires Rosa to acquire a vineyard of her own, even as she discovers firsthand its inherent hardships and dangers winemakers face in such turbulent times.

Abolitionist school teacher Dorothea Grainger faces the ultimate test of her courage and convictions when the national debate over slavery sets friends and neighbours against one another in rural Creek''s Crossing, Pennsylvania.