The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne

<p>The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne is a novel by Kathleen Thompson Norris a prolific American author known for her romantic and domestic fiction in the early 20th century. Published in 1912 this book is one of her earlier works and reflects her signature themes of love social class and personal growth.</p><p></p><p>The novel follows Mrs. Burgoyne a wealthy widow who moves to a small California town to start anew. She becomes involved in the lives of the local townspeople bringing kindness generosity and a fresh perspective to their struggles.</p><p></p><p>As she interacts with the community she forms a special bond with a struggling young writer Barry Valentine who is trying to make a name for himself. Their relationship develops amidst social expectations personal hardships and the challenges of small-town life.</p><p></p><p>Norris weaves themes of redemption second chances and the true meaning of wealth-not just in terms of money but in love friendship and purpose.</p><p></p><p>Norris was one of the most popular writers of her time and The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne was well-received for its heartwarming storytelling and relatable characters. The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne remains a charming example of early 20th-century women's fiction.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>About the Author</p><p></p><p>Kathleen Thompson Norris (July 16 1880 - January 18 1966) was an American novelist and newspaper columnist. She was one of the most widely read and highest paid female writers in the United States for nearly fifty years from 1911 to 1959. Norris was a prolific writer who wrote 93 novels many of which became best sellers. Her stories appeared frequently in the popular press of the day including Atlantic The American Magazine McClure's Everybody's Ladies' Home Journal and Woman's Home Companion. Norris used her fiction to promote family and moralistic values such as the sanctity of marriage the nobility of motherhood and the importance of service to others.</p><p></p><p>Kathleen Thompson Norris was born in San Francisco California on 16 July 1880. Her parents were Josephine (née Moroney) and James Alden Thompson. When she was 19 both her parents died. As the oldest sibling she became effectively the head of a large family and had to work. Initially she found employment in a department store which was soon followed by work in an accounting office and then the Mechanic's Institute Library. In 1905 she enrolled in a creative writing program at the University of California Berkeley and began writing short stories. The San Francisco Call which had published a few of her stories hired her to write a society column in September 1906. In the course of that work she met Charles Gilman Norris (whose late older brother was the famous novelist Frank Norris) and they soon fell in love. He moved to New York to be art editor of The American Magazine. After eight months of daily correspondence and some improvements in her family's financial situation she joined him there and they were married in April 1909.</p><p></p><p>Norris became involved in various social causes including women's suffrage Prohibition pacifism and organizations to benefit children and the poor.</p><p></p><p>Kathleen Thompson Norris died January 18 1966 in San Francisco at the home of her son Dr. Frank Norris. She was 85. (wikipedia.org)</p><p></p>