Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan

Under the Wide and Starry Sky (edition 2014)

by Nancy Horan (Author)

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1,114	115	19,403	(3.71)	54
"In her new novel, Nancy Horan has recreated a love story that is as unique, passionate, and overwhelmingly powerful as the one between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney depicted so memorably in Loving Frank. Under the Wide and Starry Sky chronicles the unconventional love affair of Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson, author of classics including Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and American divorcee Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne. They meet in rural France in 1875, when Fanny, having run away from her philandering husband back in California, takes refuge there with her children. Stevenson too is escaping from his life, running from family pressure to become a lawyer. And so begins a turbulent love affair that will last two decades and span the world.In her masterful new novel, Nancy Horan has recreated a love story that is as unique, passionate, and overwhelmingly powerful as the one between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney depicted so memorably in Loving Frank. Under the Wide and Starry Sky chronicles the unconventional love affair of Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson, author of classics including Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and American divorcee Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne. They meet in rural France in 1875, when Fanny, having run away from her philandering husband back in California, takes refuge there with her children. Stevenson too is escaping from his life, running from family pressure to become a lawyer. And so begins a turbulent love affair that will last two decades and span the world"--… (more)

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Member:	Carrieramon
Title:	Under the Wide and Starry Sky
Authors:	Nancy Horan (Author)
Info:	Ballantine Books (2014), Edition: First Paperback Edition, 496 pages
Collections:	Your library, Currently reading
Rating:
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Work Information

Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan

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30
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan (ainsleytewce)
21
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (novelcommentary)
novelcommentary: Similar themes, a literary life depicted
00
The Great Lover by Jill Dawson (ainsleytewce)
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The Wrecker by Robert Louis Stevenson (ainsleytewce)
00
Il mio letto e una nave: poesie per grandi incanti e piccoli lettori by Robert Louis Stevenson (cometahalley)
cometahalley: La raccolta di versi di Stevenson non solo racchiude tutta la sua poetica, ma rivela come già da bambino nello scrittore albergasse l'attitudine all'immaginare, il desiderio di confrontarsi col mondo.
00
The Island of Voices, The beach of Falesà by Robert Louis Stevenson (cometahalley)
00
The Shadow-Line: A Confession by Joseph Conrad (cometahalley)
cometahalley: Interessante il confronto tra Stevenson e Conrad, resi diversi dalla storia e critica letteraria,in realtà appartenenti al medesimo contesto storico, grandi visionari e animati dalla stessa predilezione per le dimensioni narrative esotiche.
00
In the South Seas by Robert Louis Stevenson (BookshelfMonstrosity)
BookshelfMonstrosity: These engaging books offer armchair travelers adventure in exotic climes. Under the Wide and Starry Sky is a biographical novel about Robert Louis Stevenson, and In the South Seas is Stevenson's memoir about what he found there.

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English (117) Italian (1) All languages (118)

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Showing 1-5 of 117 (next | show all)

Great story, highly absorbing. (

)

erpost | Nov 9, 2024 |

What makes such a lengthy book worth reading? Unique and eccentric characters! Especially if these people happen to be quirky writers. Such is the story of Fanny Osbourne and her life with famed author, Robert Louis Stevenson.
To contend with his ailing health, they relocated often to environments which were conducive to his survival. It was remarkable that he was able to produce such an abundance of literary treasures. This book provided a personal view of his amazing life as experienced with his wife, Fanny. (

)

marquis784 | Oct 12, 2024 |

This book is a fictional account of the lives of Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife Fanny, told from her perspective. I’ve tried unsuccessfully to read Treasure Island, and really don’t have any great desire to read his books. Even so, this book was fascinating! It explored his very sickly life and his very independent wife who quite literally saved him by taking to the high seas despite her awful sea sickness. And it’s a story of Fanny’s own traumatic life experiences and frightening health scare. Ultimately, moving again and again to find a place where RLS will not just survive but thrive, they build a home in Samoa. This was a well-written and very interesting novel that I highly recommend even for those who are not RLS fans. (

)

KarenMonsen | Sep 14, 2024 |

At 35 Fanny has left her philandering husband in San Francisco and set sail for Belgium with her three children and nanny in tow. Her goal was to study art and to pursue her own desires. Not long after her arrival, tragedy strikes and she and the children go to a quiet artists’ colony in France where she can recuperate. Emerging from her sorrow, she meets a lively Scot, Robert Louis Stevenson, ten years her junior. Fanny is reluctant at first, but eventually falls in love with Stevenson. Thus, begins a fierce love affair that spans two decades and the globe. (

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creighley | May 9, 2022 |

Distraught from a failing marriage, Fanny packs up her children and visits Europe, where she makes the acquaintance of Louis Stevenson, who is quickly enamored with her. But is Fanny willing to throw away her old life for a struggling writer?

This book is a historical fiction based on the lives of two real people -- the rather famous author Robert Louis Stevenson and his less famous love interest. This is the same formula Horan used for her book Loving Frank, which I found more compelling than this one.

While this book certainly had its moments that could captivate, there were parts that felt rather plodding and/or repetitive. And when it comes down to it, Fanny and Louis's lives just weren't quite as interesting as that of Mamah and Frank Lloyd Wright.

In the end, this was fine enough read for those who really enjoy historical fiction and/or have a special interest in Stevenson and his works/life. (

)

sweetiegherkin | Apr 10, 2022 |

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Canonical title

Under the Wide and Starry Sky

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2014-01-21

People/Characters

Robert Louis Stevenson

Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne

Important places

France

California, USA

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Out of my country and myself I go.
—Robert Louis Stevenson

Dedication

For my sons, Ben and Harry

First words

"Where are the dogs?" Sammy asked, staring up at her.

Quotations

Last words

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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▾Book descriptions

"In her new novel, Nancy Horan has recreated a love story that is as unique, passionate, and overwhelmingly powerful as the one between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney depicted so memorably in Loving Frank. Under the Wide and Starry Sky chronicles the unconventional love affair of Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson, author of classics including Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and American divorcee Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne. They meet in rural France in 1875, when Fanny, having run away from her philandering husband back in California, takes refuge there with her children. Stevenson too is escaping from his life, running from family pressure to become a lawyer. And so begins a turbulent love affair that will last two decades and span the world.In her masterful new novel, Nancy Horan has recreated a love story that is as unique, passionate, and overwhelmingly powerful as the one between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney depicted so memorably in Loving Frank. Under the Wide and Starry Sky chronicles the unconventional love affair of Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson, author of classics including Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and American divorcee Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne. They meet in rural France in 1875, when Fanny, having run away from her philandering husband back in California, takes refuge there with her children. Stevenson too is escaping from his life, running from family pressure to become a lawyer. And so begins a turbulent love affair that will last two decades and span the world"--

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Book description

The much-anticipated second novel by the author of Loving Frank, the beloved New York Times bestseller, this new work tells the incredible story of the passionate, turbulent relationship between Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and his wild-tempered American wife, Fanny.

In her masterful new novel, Nancy Horan has recreated a love story that is as unique, passionate, and overwhelmingly powerful as the one between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney depicted so memorably in Loving Frank. Under the Wide and Starry Sky chronicles the unconventional love affair of Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson, author of classics including Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and American divorcee Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne. They meet in rural France in 1875, when Fanny, having run away from her philandering husband back in California, takes refuge there with her children. Stevenson too is escaping from his life, running from family pressure to become a lawyer. And so begins a turbulent love affair that will last two decades and span the world.

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