Mary Lamb

The biography follows a woman whose life was defined by intense devotion to her brother, recurring mental illness, and active participation in a literary circle. It recounts her family origins and upbringing, a devastating household crisis that led to periods in an asylum, and the domestic and creative labors that sustained her and her brother, including collaborative work for children and occasional essays. The narrative draws on letters and reminiscences to illuminate friendships with contemporary writers, personal habits and appearance, episodes of recovery and relapse, practical handiwork, and the slow decline that prefaced her final years.