H. B. Goodwin

Hannah Elizabeth Bradbury Goodwin Talcott (née, Hannah Elizabeth Bradbury; better known by her pen name, H. B. Goodwin or Mrs. H. B. Goodwin, and sometimes as H. E. B. or H. B. G. ; 1827 - June 1, 1893) was a 19th-century American novelist from the U.S. state of Maine.

Hannah Elizabeth Bradbury Goodwin Talcott
Born	Hannah Elizabeth Bradbury 1827 Chesterville, Maine
Died	June 1, 1893
Pen name	H. B. Goodwin
Nationality	American
Education	Farmington Academy
Genre	novels

Early years and education

Hannah Elizabeth Bradbury was born in Chesterville, Maine, but was a resident of Boston, Massachusetts, for many years. She was the daughter of the late Benjamin B. and Elizabeth Lowell Bradbury. Her school life was spent mainly in Farmington Academy.[1]

Career

Before her marriage, she had written many short stories and sketches, which were published in magazines and papers over her initials, H. E. B. Goodwin was a successful teacher of girls in Bangor, Maine, and afterward. she was principal of the Charlestown Female Seminary. The judicious criticism and commendation of her teacher, Prof. Alexander H. Abbott, first stimulated her ambition to be known as an author, but her pen was mainly inspired by her desire to assist in educating young women. For 15 years, Goodwin was associated with the educational work of Wellesley College. She was an active member of its board of trustees and of its executive committee, and also wrote and read to the students of Wellesley many essays on art, the studies for which were made in the great art centers of Europe, where she traveled in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.[1]

Her first novel was Madge (New York, 1864), and was favorably received. Goodwin regarded it as the least worthy of her books. Her second book, Sherbrooke (New York, 1866'), is a story of New England life. The success of that story was instantaneous. Her third book, Dr. Howell's Family (Boston, 1869), was written during months of great physical pain, and many readers regard it as the author's strongest work. After the publication of that book, Goodwin was for several years an invalid and employed her pen only in writing short stories and sketches and letters from Europe to religious newspapers. One Among Many (Boston, 1884), added to the well earned success of its author and gave new evidence of her ability to represent real life. Another of her well-known stories is Christine's Fortune (Boston), a picture of German life. Our Party of Four (Boston, 1887), describes a tour in Spain. Perhaps to Dorothy Gray the highest praise came from critics and literary friends. She also compiled a volume of essays on art and history.[1] She died on June 1, 1893.[2]

Selected works

• 1863, Madge; or, Night and morning
• 1863, Roger Deane's work
• 1866, Sherbrooke
• 1869, Dr. Howell's family
• 1873, A spray from Lucerne
• 1876, The fortunes of Miss Follen
• 1881, Christine's fortune
• 1886, Elizabeth and the roses : a legend of Hungary
• 1887, Our party of four : a story of travel
• 1891, Indian summer
• 1891, Dorothy Gray : an Indian Summer idyl

References

1. Willard 1893, p. 325.
2. Wellesley College 1893, p. 468.

Bibliography

• Wellesley College (1893). The Wellesley College Magazine (Public domain ed.).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Willard, Frances Elizabeth (1893). A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in All Walks of Life (Public domain ed.). Moulton. p. 325.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Attribution

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: F. E. Willard's A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in All Walks of Life (1893)