In Fanny Fern’s novel Ruth Hall, Miss Ruth Hall must learn to navigate life without her husband, Harry, after he unexpectantly dies from typhoid fever. This follows the death of Harry and Ruth’s eldest daughter, Daisy, who passed tragically by contracting a respiratory illness. In the thick of mourning and with her two youngest daughters to support, Ruth must find a way to make end meet. After she resorts to begging, her father agrees to give her a small amount of money. Unable to afford anything else, Rith moves her family to an unsafe, run-down part of town. Despite the discouragement from her parents and older brother, she decides to pursue writing, as she has exhausted her other job opportunities. Ruth finds an editors, Mr. Lascom and Mr. Tibbetts, who both publish her works. Though readers really enjoy her work which earns the newspapers more subscriptions but neither Mr. Lascom nor Mr. Tibbets will pay Ruth fairly for her contributions. Because of this, she still struggles despite having a job. As Ruth continues her passion, working hard to survive off her modest salary, she meets a new publisher, who promises to pay her more than the other publishers, on the condition that Ruth writes exclusively for him. Ruth Hall is a story of endurance and excellence. Widowed and poor, Ruth is able to pull herself up and become a successful writer, loving mother and find love again after losing her first husband. First published in 1854, Fanny Fern completed Ruth Hall in just a few months, writing with passion that remains evident even to modern day readers. This edition of Ruth Hall by Fanny Fern features an eye-catching new cover design and is presented in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition is accessible and appealing to contemporary audiences, restoring Ruth Hall to modern standards while preserving the emotion and brilliance of Fanny Fern’s work.
