In this episode, Barbara Basbanes Richter interviews Rebecca Rego Barry about her book, The Vanishing of Carolyn Wells. Carolyn Wells was a mystery author in the early 20th century who has been largely forgotten today. Rebecca discusses Carolyn's life and career, from her late start as a writer to her success in various genres, including poetry, short stories, puzzles, and children's books. Rebecca also explores the challenges of researching Carolyn's life due to the lack of a central archive and the dispersal of her estate after her death.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:58 Rebecca's Expertise in Books and Book History
02:04 Introduction and Background
03:05 Carolyn Wells's Early Life and Career
05:08 Carolyn Wells's Rise to Success
05:29 Little Magazines and Carolyn Wells's Writing
06:24 The Daily Tatler and Carolyn Wells's Letter
07:19 Carolyn Wells' Shift to Writing for Children
08:00 Carolyn Wells's Versatility as a Writer
08:56 Carolyn Wells's Extensive Bibliography
10:24 Challenges in Researching Carolyn Wells
12:15 Discovery of Carolyn Wells's Mermaid Album
14:50 Rebecca's Interest in Carolyn Wells
17:13 Carolyn Wells's Estate and Auction
21:23 Carolyn Wells's Mermaid Album
22:50 Writing Style and Approach in the Book
25:33 Carolyn Wells's Approach to Mystery Novels
30:28 Carolyn Wells's Marriage and Personal Life
33:31 Carolyn Wells's Persona and Popularity
34:59 Critics' Reception and Sales
35:57 Public Libraries' Love for Carolyn Wells
36:56 Carolyn Wells's Parodies and Satire
38:18 Carolyn Wells's Connections with Presidents
40:17 Carolyn Wells' Keynote Speeches and Literary Events
41:17 Carolyn Wells's Wordplay and Puzzle Books
43:44 Carolyn Wells's Collecting Bug
45:16 Carolyn Wells's Collection of Walt Whitman
48:28 Carolyn Wells's Work in Silent Films
50:43 Carolyn Wells's Personality and Hearing Loss
52:20 Carolyn Wells's Childhood Illness and Education
55:02 The Legacy of Carolyn Wells
58:23 The Challenge of Remembering Women Writers
59:42 Future Research on Carolyn Wells
01:00:03 Rebecca Rego Barry's Connection to Carolyn Wells
01:01:49 Outro
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