The Quirky Bookworm

One of my genres is historical fiction writer Marie Benedict. Her stories portray women as having played a key role in history during a time when women were not allowed fair access to education. Although her stories are fabricated to a degree, they still give the reader an idea of what women endured during that time. Click here to visit the author’s website.

Title: The Other Einstein
Author: Marie Benedict
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: August 29, 2017
Page Length: 336

I read The Other Einstein two years ago and absolutely loved it. Maric is one of my favorite characters in literature due to her ability to withstand pressure from males to not further her research and education. Einstein was not an easy man to live with, but Maric had the ability to withhold her own.

There is some controversy over the book, which you can read about in an article published by Notre Dame Magazine and written by Stacy Nyikos. No proof is available that Maric did contribute to Einstein’s theory of relativity. Benedict is suggesting that Maric did play a role and did not receive credit due to women’s limitations in academia at the time.

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Title: Carnegie’s Maid
Author: Marie Benedict
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Page Length: 352

I was not sure at first if I would enjoy Carnegie’s Maid as much as The Other Einstein, but by the end I loved this novel just as much. Kelley and Carnegie’s relationship is forbidden and must be kept secret, but does not stop them from having numerous discussions on how to help immigrants succeed in America. Kelley changes him from a cold businessman to one of the most well known philanthropists. The change in Carnegie is what makes this novel a worthy read.

Benedict’s Inspiration
Benedict’s ancestors were Irish immigrants just like Clara Kelley and used one of the libraries Carnegie founded to educate themselves. The self taught immigrants in her family worked as steel and mill workers. Due to the benefit of having access to free resources, they slowly became families working as doctors, lawyers and professors. Benedict’s story is supported by the idea that some historians have of a personal relationship changing Carnegie.

Click here to purchase Carnegie’s Maid.

Further Reading
http://www.greermacallister.com/blog/2018/2/1/98md23vzev588kakjr4allqaz0b4b0

Title: The Only Woman in the Room
Author: Marie Benedict
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: January 8, 2019
Page Length: 272

I enjoyed reading about Hedy Lamarr’s attempt to save many lives during World War II. She was definitely a woman before her time in her amount of independence and knowledge. Her giving heart and nature shows in the novel.

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Read more about Maurice Benedict’s inspiration for the novel here.