Arrow, 2007
What a girl! Readable, imaginative account of a widely misunderstood woman. We all know someone like Emma – naive, exuberant, extravert, generous and sensual, outwardly without a care in the world. Often, as with Emma, what is not always appreciated is their apparently contradictory nature: sensitive, caring, intelligent and vulnerable. Emma, ridiculed and cast off after Nelson’s death had been widely misunderstood. Despite her infidelity to Sir William Hamilton, she showed him touching loyalty, and her love for Nelson was real and deep. Kate Williams reveals Emma’s fascinating back story – humble origins and almost total lack of education – which she overcame without trampling on others.
Also recommended: Josephine by Kate Williams.
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