Lizzie's Books

[Allen]

I know there was a thread here somewhere that had information about the books owned by Lizzie which belong to the B&B. I've done a search and have not been able to find it so far. Since most of them are from the period after she would have moved to Maplecroft how did they came into the possession of the owners of the B&B? I apologize for starting a new thread. If I remember right, a few of the members discussed the fact that they had actually read a few. That's another interesting subject. What were these books about?

[Harry]

Allen, this may be what you are looking for:

viewtopic.php?t=1796&highlight=edged+tools+books

[Allen]

That is the thread I was looking for, thank you so much Harry. How did you find that so quickly? There is some really interesting information there. I think the books that Lizzie read speak a lot about her personality. I would like to find at least a few of them.

[Allen]

There are pictures of some of the books on the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast site. They can be found under Leary Press Demolition, page 9. I'm still wondering how they came to be in their possession.

http://www.lizzie-borden.com/html/photos1.html

[Harry]

Our in-house expert on Lizzie's books, William, wrote on this topic in this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=404&highlight=edged+tools

About 1/2 way down the page he lists the books at the B&B and their source.

[Allen]

This answers all the questions that I had about the books. Thank you very much your help Harry. I would like to start looking around to try and purchase some copies of these books for my own personal collection. If many of these books are romance novels, then maybe Lizzie was seeking to find something that was lacking in her own life by reading these novels?

[DWilly]

This answers all the questions that I had about the books. Thank you very much your help Harry. I would like to start looking around to try and purchase some copies of these books for my own personal collection. If many of these books are romance novels, then maybe Lizzie was seeking to find something that was lacking in her own life by reading these novels?

A few of the books you can pick up pretty cheap over on ebay. William wrote a very good article for the Lizzie Borden Quarterly that deals with some of Lizzie's literary tastes. He writes that Lizzie's second cousin, Grace Harley Owe, inherited from Lizzie's books by Charles Dickens, Scott and Trollop. Florence Barclay was a bad writer but she also was a best-selling author in the early part of the 20th Century. You can download her book, which Lizzie owned, The Rosary and read it for free:



http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3659


I downloaded The Rosary but it's going to take me a while to read it. It looks like pretty dry reading. I don't think this book is in the same vain as Valley Of The Dolls. Which I loved reading Anyway, seems like Lizzie read a lot of books one would expect of a woman who wanted to be viewed as cultured. She seems to have liked the classics and best-sellers of her era.

[DWilly]

A few things on Lizzie. Nance O'Neil was mainly known for playing tragic women's roles on stage. That may be one reason why Lizzie was so drawn to her. Maybe she saw a little of herself in those tragic women's roles.

Also, there was an interview done by the New Bedford Standard with O'Neil after Lizzie's death. This is what Nance had to say about Lizzie:

Distinctly Attractive.

Miss O’Neil, being unusually tall herself, is perhaps inclined to see persons smaller than others do. She found the reserved little gentlewoman, with her gray eyes and graying hair and her unmistakable air of refinement and intellect, distinctively attractive. She was exceedingly well read, conversant with the best literature, and spoke interestingly of her travels abroad, which Miss O’Neil recalled as extensive. With her intellectual qualities she combined kindness and thought for others and a great fondness for animals. She was a life member, Miss O’Neil recalled, of the Boston Animal Rescue league.
The outstanding recollection, the actress mentioned, however, was that Miss Borden seemed utterly lonely. She was obviously always depressed by the shadow of some tragedy, the nature of which Miss O’Neil did not know until some time after their brief friendship began. A note from Miss Borden expressing admiration for the brilliant acting of the star and asking permission to call on her, was the beginning of their acquaintance. With it came a bouquet of flowers.

Circle of Warm Friends.

Nance O’Neil received Miss Borden, as she did hundreds of others who sought her, in her dressing room at the Tremont theater. Thereafter, however, they met at each other’s homes. Miss Borden was accustomed to come frequently to Boston, to the Bellevue, to enjoy plays and concerts and the company of a few friends, among whom Miss O’Neil recalled Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, and a brilliant woman novelist and her husband, who were not merely friends, but warm companions of Lizzie Borden.

I always thought that the idea of Lizzie making sure to send flowers to Nance as sort of a sign of how romantic Lizzie could be. It's in a way that is somewhat lost in today's society. I also, recall reading that when Lizzie invited Nance to Maplecroft for a party she also rented some Palm trees. I guess to make the place look more romantic or something. Was it Lincoln? I'm going to have to check. I think it was Lincoln that said Lizzie was almost too romantic. Over the top sort of thing.

[Allen]

That interview with Nance O' Neil is in the Sourcebook, I've read that before and I think it's an interesting description of Lizzie. It can be found on page 345 for anyone who has the book. The whole thing is interesting reading. Something else Nance said always left me a little curious.

Not Slightest Difference

The Borden murder trial had been history for 10 years, but it was still vivid in public memory, and some one soon told Miss O' Neil that her new friend whom she knew only as Lizbeth A. Borden, was the woman who figured in it.

"That made not the slightest difference to me," said the actress, looking out earnestly from the shadow of great black hat which shaded her face, cameo-like above a clinging black gown, illuminated by a single vivid scarlet tassel hanging from her waiste.

" I want to make that clear. It did not alter our relations in the least. Of course, the tragedy itself was never mentioned between us; never was there even so much as an illusion to it. I simply felt a great sympathy for her, and a great deal of admiration for the way she carried on. She was always so alone."



I think it is interesting that Nance seems to be wearing mourning black, but the dress is described as clinging. The only color against the black is the tassel on her dress which is 'vivid' scarlet. Interesting choice of color against the otherwise black background of her clothing. It reminds me of the descriptions of Lizzie's garishly colored pin which was described by the newspapers.

She later goes on to deny that she had ever spent time at the Borden home, though Lizzie spent time at her Tyngsboro place. Also that the fact that she ever met Emma Borden was an error. This interview has many interesting tidbits for the reader in it.

[DWilly]

"That made not the slightest difference to me

I think it is interesting that Nance seems to be wearing mourning black, but the dress is described as clinging. The only color against the black is the tassel on her dress which is 'vivid' scarlet. Interesting choice of color against the otherwise black background of her clothing. It reminds me of the descriptions of Lizzie's garishly colored pin which was described by the newspapers.

She later goes on to deny that she had ever spent time at the Borden home, though Lizzie spent time at her Tyngsboro place. Also that the fact that she ever met Emma Borden was an error. This interview has many interesting tidbits for the reader in it.

I don't have the Source book anymore but if I'm not mistaken wasn't the interview done just a few days after Lizzie's death?

One thing that seems a contradiction. At the end of the interview it says Nance denied being at the Borden home and yet, earlier in the interview it says this:

Circle of Warm Friends.

Nance O’Neil received Miss Borden, as she did hundreds of others who sought her, in her dressing room at the Tremont theater. Thereafter, however, they met at each other’s homes. Miss Borden was accustomed to come frequently to Boston, to the Bellevue, to enjoy plays and concerts and the company of a few friends, among whom Miss O’Neil recalled Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, and a brilliant woman novelist and her husband, who were not merely friends, but warm companions of Lizzie Borden.



I have my doubts as to how honest Nance was being about her relationship with Lizzie. I can understand why she's a little less than forth coming.

[mbhenty]

I have a question.

Back in the early 80s there was a Professor of History at Bridgewater State College here in MA, his name was Jordan Fiore. It was reported that he had been working on a Lizzie Book for 25 years and his book was to be published soon. (Soon being back in the 80s) The title was 'LIZBETH'S JOURNAL."

Anyone know anything about it? Why it was never published? Though he wrote a couple of other books, Historical, American History, Revolutionary War....etc I guess he was a Lizzie enthusiaist.

[RayS]

I have a question.

Back in the early 80s there was a Professor of History at Bridgewater State College here in MA. His name was Jordan Fiore. It was reported that he had been working on a Lizzie Book for 25 years and his book was to be published soon. (Soon being back in the 80s) The title was 'LIZBETH'S JOURNAL."

Anyone know anything about it? Why it was never published? Though he wrote a couple of other books, Historical, American History, Revolutionary War....etc I guess he was a Lizzie enthusiaist.

"There's no money in the budget for it" was a common phrase in the old "Quincy M.E." TV program. THAT is a very real thing in office life.
IF the work will not pull in the big books, no publisher will touch it. It would have to be privately published. How much does that cost today?

[Harry]

Michael, I too remember reading an article on Mr. Fiore but have no idea what happened to his proposed book.

There was also a proposed book by Prof. Catherine Nickerson of Emory University. See: http://tinyurl.com/out9a

She did write a book called "The Web Of Iniquity" published in 1999. Bookfinder.com has two copies for sale ($84 and $105). The description of the Iniquity book reads:

"Surveys detective fiction from the Civil War to World War II- describes how women writers created a form of domestic mystery that offered a critical view of the condition of women- and discusses works based on the Lizzie Borden case."

[mbhenty]

Thanks Harry: I guess we can assume that Ms Catherine Nickerson never published her book. The report you supplied dates back 5 years.

I think rather than money, the reason these books were never published is due to the fact that authors prematurely announce their intentions, or just lose interest and never completed them.

I started writing a Novel about Lizzie Borden almost 15 years ago. Ran around bragging about it and never completed it. Have 125 pages of text and 3 chapters, but laxed, lost interest, never sharpened my discipline. Now it has gotten old and stale. Not sure what I will do with it, but keep running into friends and others who constantly ask me about it.

[Wordweaver]

IF the work will not pull in the big books, no publisher will touch it. It would have to be privately published. How much does that cost today?

I've worked in various aspects of publishing for a long time. These days, private publication of a book can cost *nothing* upfront; print-on-demand presses like Lulu.com make it easy.


I think mbhenty is right: people say they're writing a book and get stalled somewhere. It's a long, rough process, and it can swallow your life.

Lynn

[stuartwsa]

I believe that Mr. Fiore died several years ago. I don't know what happened to his manuscript. I'll bet Michael Martins could tell us.

[mbhenty]

Yes, Mr. Fiore announced that he was writing his book back in 1981. That was 25 years ago. Much has been written on the Borden case since then and one can safely say an explosion of information and assortment of different angles have been exploited on the Borden murders.

But still would be interesting to see what sort of angle Mr Jordan Fiore had spun with his information...

Yes Lynn, Writing is one practice that I have never mastered, that is to say, the discipline aspect of it. One must work every day without exception. Just like practicing a musical instrument.

Yes Stuartwsa, it would be interesting to find if Mr. Martins has anything on Mr. Fiore, or perhaps if Bridgewater State has retained any of his writings in their archives.

[mbhenty]

Back in the very early 80s Mr. Jordan Fiore was asked about his book, and this is what he had to say:

"I have written the first draft. It's quite long, and I'm revising it. I'm writing it as though it were a journal written by Lizzie Borden two years after her acquital in 1893. I base everything on factual evidence, except for the day of the murder, where I am writing from my theories on what happened that day. My book is 99% fact. It's called "Lizbeth's Journal."

Mr. Fiore even elaborates on his cover:

"Its cover will have "Lizzie's Journal" with the "Lizzie" crossed out and "Lizbeth" written in over it.

When asked if he thought Lizzie was guilty Mr Fiore responded:

"Buy the book and find out!"

Sadly, for what ever reason it was never published. Sure it would have proved to be an interesting read.

[Kat]

Can you tell us your source for your quote? Sounds like a news item? Thanks!

Not too long ago- maybe this year, I asked Len Rebello about Jason Fiore during a phone call. He said he had just gotten off the phone with the man's brother.. Now that was weird! Even Len was amazed.
Anyway, he calls the family periodically to say hello and ask after the manuscript. They have not found it yet. If Len doesn't know, then nobody does. He doesn't give up tho!

[mbhenty]

Yes Kat: The source was Vol 2 of the Spinner Book series of Southeastern Massachusetts Studies. I have waited and wondered for years about what happen to Mr Fiore's manuscript. Perhaps I should call Bridgewater State College and see what they have at their library.

Yes Kat, that is very interesting about Mr. Rebello. He's a sharp guy, gets around all the historical circles. If there is anything to it, he will track it down.

[augusta]

Allen - I found "House of a Thousand Candles" online (Abe Books probably). I got a 1905 edition in very good condition for a buck and a half. At the time, there were several available.

I started reading "The Rosary" off the Gutenberg Project site. The first chapter sounded like Lizzie - a rich woman who lived alone and had a secret.

I'd like to read some of the books she read, too. I think it would help us to maybe understand her character more. We have so little to go on.

Dickens was her favorite, but was that books or just the theatre?

She used to read in her 'steamer chair' on the piazza.

I don't recall ever hearing she read any of the classics. I wonder if she did.