A review by sdropek
Letters from Amelia by Jean L. Backus
4.0
Interesting read to follow Muriel’s account of her sister’s life in Amelia, My Courageous Sister.
Though it’s clear from the acknowledgments of this book, Muriel provided Backus with Amelia’s letters, Backus paints a quite different portrait of Amelia than Muriel does and in fact points out several times that Muriel and Amelia were rather estranged, Amelia didn’t approve of her sisters domesticity and her staying with her husband Albert, etc.
Reading the two books together seems to give a more accurate portrait of a women who was, as we all are at times, contradictory, imperfect, and sometimes impetuous. Amelia seemed rather controlling of her family and her letters to her mother gave me a laugh at some points in how precise she was with her instructions. Overall a nice read with good commentary and interesting to hear Amelia’s own voice come through in the letters.
Though it’s clear from the acknowledgments of this book, Muriel provided Backus with Amelia’s letters, Backus paints a quite different portrait of Amelia than Muriel does and in fact points out several times that Muriel and Amelia were rather estranged, Amelia didn’t approve of her sisters domesticity and her staying with her husband Albert, etc.
Reading the two books together seems to give a more accurate portrait of a women who was, as we all are at times, contradictory, imperfect, and sometimes impetuous. Amelia seemed rather controlling of her family and her letters to her mother gave me a laugh at some points in how precise she was with her instructions. Overall a nice read with good commentary and interesting to hear Amelia’s own voice come through in the letters.