Ken Liss — Two Avid Readers and the Books They Read in 1850s Brookline

Ken Liss

Mary Wild (1799-1883) and Adeline Faxon (1834-1853) lived near each other in 1850s Brookline. There were, of course, many differences then – as there are now – between a teenage girl and a woman running a family and a household. One thing they had in common is that both were avid readers who wrote in their diaries about the books they read. Join Brookline Historical Society president Ken Liss for a look at these women, the books they read, and what that tells us about mid-19th century literature, Boston booksellers, and two people who made books such an important part of their lives.