{"title":"Mary Hoban","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the captivating works of \u003cstrong\u003eMary Hoban\u003c\/strong\u003e, a distinguished author celebrated for her deep dives into Biography \u0026amp; Memoir. Her writing offers readers a richly detailed exploration of historical figures, shedding light on personalities often overlooked by history. Hoban's ability to weave narrative with meticulous research results in books that are both informative and engaging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong her most renowned works is \u003cem\u003eAn Unconventional Wife\u003c\/em\u003e, a vivid biography that chronicles the life of Julia Sorrell Arnold, a woman who defied societal norms in pursuit of personal passions and intellectual fulfilment. Through Hoban's detailed storytelling, readers gain an intimate understanding of Julia's world and the challenges she faced as a pioneer in her own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMary Hoban's unique approach to biography allows her to bring historical figures to life, making her books an essential addition to the collections of anyone interested in history, biography, or memoirs. Dive into her works to experience a masterful blend of history and narrative that will leave you both educated and inspired.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"an-unconventional-wife-by-mary-hoban-9781922310767","title":"An Unconventional Wife","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe page-turning biography of an Australian woman who refused to bend to the expectations of her husband and her time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJulia Sorell was an original. A colonial belle from Tasmania, vivacious and warm-hearted, Julia's marriage to Tom Arnold in 1850 propelled her into one of the most renowned families in England and into a circle that included Lewis Carroll and George Eliot. Her eldest daughter became a bestselling novelist, while her grandchildren included the writer Aldous Huxley, author of \u003cem\u003eBrave New World\u003c\/em\u003e, and the evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith these family connections, Julia is a presence in many documented and famous lives, but she is a mostly silent presence. When extracted from her background of colonial life, extracted from the covers of marriage and family life, her story reveals an extraordinary woman, a paradox who defied convention as much as she embraced it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat began as a marriage born of desire soon turned into a relationship riven by discord. Tom's sudden decision to become a Catholic and Julia's refusal to convert with him plunged their lives into a crisis wherein their great love for each other would be pitted against their profoundly different understandings of marriage and religion. It was a conflict that would play out over three decades in a time when science challenged religion, when industrialisation challenged agrarian forms, when democracy challenged aristocracy, and when women began to challenge men. It was a conflict that would shape not only their own lives and that of their children but also touch the lives of all those who came into contact with them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTold with the pace, depth, and psychological richness of a great novel, \u003cem\u003eAn Unconventional Wife\u003c\/em\u003e is a riveting biography that shines a shaft of light on a hidden but captivating life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'In \u003cem\u003eAn Unconventional Wife\u003c\/em\u003e, Mary Hoban has given us an inconvenient heroine—a woman hobbled by her times, champing at the bit, going nowhere but telling us everything. Pieced together through impeccable research and told with all the urgency and intrigue of a soap opera, the story of Julia Sorell demands recognition of—and respect for—a woman who would otherwise be lost to history. Utterly charming.'\u003cbr\u003e\n—Clare Wright\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'\u003cem\u003eAn Unconventional Wife\u003c\/em\u003e is superbly written and skilfully draws on a number of diverse sources, compensating for a lamented lack—an intimate diary kept by Julia herself. Mary Hoban has got to the kernel of this story, since she has correctly conceived it as an exercise in the recuperation of women's history.'\u003cbr\u003e\n—Jim Davidson, \u003cem\u003eAustralian Book Review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Mary Hoban has bypassed poets and thinkers, churchmen and colonial administrators to create a spirited biography of the \"unknown woman,\" as she calls Julia Sorell Arnold.'\u003cbr\u003e\n—Brenda Niall, \u003cem\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46369944961260,"sku":"9781922310767","price":34.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781922310767.jpg?v=1744849032"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/mary-hoban.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}