Happy Birthday, Rachel Field (and some new archival photos!)

 


























 



​         (cake decorations by Nadia Rosenthal)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL FIELD!!
 
Rachel Field was born on September 19th, 1894. That may be part of the reason she loved the coming of fall, but I think more of it had to do with purple asters and goldenrods, meadows a-whir with cricket chorus, wild geese in V-formations on their way south, ripening apples, and the smell of wood smoke floating on the breath of a darkening evening. Her poetry and prose sang of all these things and more – leading to multiple national awards and academy award nominations.
 
I’d like to share six archival photos with you (courtesy of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute) which were not included in the book about Rachel’s life: The Field House: A Writer’s Life Lost and Found on an Island in Maine. They have been seen by very few living fans!
 
In honor of Rachel’s birthday this year, can you help to give Rachel’s biography a celebratory boost? The book has surprised everyone with its successes:

• The Field House has gone into its fourth printing since May.
• It won a Gold Medal in the Readers’ Favorite 2021 Awards (read the wonderful review here!)
• It has been featured on radio and television, in newspapers and magazines, in podcasts, zoom events, and in person.
• Rachel’s story, blended with the story of her biographer in a hybrid of biography and memoir, has captivated readers’ hearts and imagination not only all over the US, but internationally. So far I’ve received enthusiastic feedback from England, Sweden, Canada, Germany, and Australia.

 
Books need chatter to sustain their momentum, and what could be a better birthday gift than to share Rachel’s story with new readers? Can you think of five people who might not have heard about this uplifting story of two strong women who connect through an old house on an island in Maine? Though they never meet, these two writers, born 66 years apart, form an uncanny alliance, helping each other fulfill delayed destinies.
 
Everyone could use a good boost right now – how about an inspiring story of perseverance under hardship, generous friendship, personal triumphs, and a bit of uncanny synchronicity with the past?
 
Here’s what you can do:

• Share the link to this blog post with five (or more!) people.
• Ask them to share it too!
• Post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or other book sites on the web.
• Ask your library and your local bookstore to order The Field House for their shelves.
• Ask your library if they have Rachel Field’s children’s books, novels, plays, or poetry available! Maybe we can convince a publishing house to re-release Rachel’s wonderful works.
• Suggest The Field House as your book group’s next book.
• Bring it up to friends and family next time you chat.

 
Rachel Field gave me so many gifts. One of them was the sustained motivation over nine years to get her story back into the world. So many thanks to all of you for reading her story, and for helping me present Rachel with a few more gifts of recognition during her birthday month.
 
Happy Birthday, Rachel! And many happy returns. 
 
Love,
Robin
 

photos below - courtesy of Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute:
1. Rachel and her Scotty dog (not sure if it’s Spriggin or Trotty), in the tide pool on Sutton Island.)
2. Rachel in  California, ~1938
3. Rachel and Trotty (?) in a boat off Sutton Island
4. Can anyone help me identify this young girl in Rachel’s arms?
5. Rachel, Arthur, and Hannah, California ~1940
6. Rachel on a dock on Sutton Island

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