To leeward is a novel that reflects on the struggle between personal longing and the constraints imposed by tradition and society. The narrative explores how individuals wrestle with expectations shaped by family, culture, and social status, particularly in a setting marked by contrasts between old customs and emerging ideals. It highlights the complexities of love when it challenges established norms, drawing attention to the tension between duty and desire. The work invites reflection on how differing values can strain relationships and provoke inner conflict, as well as how courage is required to confront these tensions. Through its portrayal of contrasting worldviews, the novel considers the cost of pursuing happiness in defiance of convention and the resilience needed to navigate such choices. It offers insight into the quiet struggles of those torn between loyalty to their heritage and the pull of new possibilities, emphasizing the subtle but powerful forces that shape human connection.
Francis Marion Crawford was an American writer best known for his numerous books, particularly those set in Italy, as well as his famous odd and magical stories. Crawford was born in Bagni di Lucca, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, on August 2, 1854. He was the only son of Thomas Crawford, an American sculptor, and Louisa Cutler Ward. His sister was writer Mary Crawford Fraser (also known as Mrs. Hugh Fraser), and he was the nephew of American poet Julia Ward Howe. Following his father's death in 1857, his mother remarried Luther Terry, with whom she bore Crawford's half-sister, Margaret Ward Terry, who eventually married Winthrop Astor Chanler. He attended St Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, followed by Cambridge University, the University of Heidelberg, and the University of Rome. In 1879, he traveled to India, where he studied Sanskrit and worked as an editor for the Allahabad Indian Herald. After returning to America in February 1881, he spent a year studying Sanskrit at Harvard University and two years contributing to numerous publications, most notably The Critic. Early in 1882, he formed a long-time acquaintance with Isabella Stewart Gardner.
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