L. M. Boston
L. M. Boston, also known as Lucy Boston, was a distinguished author of young adult novels, best known for her Green Knowe series. The series is set in a fictional ancient house called Green Knowe, inspired by her actual residence, the historic manor of Hemingford Grey in Cambridgeshire, which dates back to the twelfth century. Boston's literary journey began after she moved into the manor in 1939, where she developed a deep appreciation for its rich history and hidden details. Born in Southport, England, she was educated at Somerville College, Oxford, and served as a nurse during both World Wars, experiences that influenced her storytelling.
Her first book, "The Children of Green Knowe," was published in 1954 and features young protagonists who encounter the spirits of past inhabitants, weaving together tales of life through different periods. Boston's writing aims to evoke a sense of wonder and connection to the past, reflecting her belief in the innate joys of childhood exploration. She received notable accolades for her work, including the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award and the Carnegie Medal. Today, the Green Knowe series has not only captivated readers but also contributed to the preservation of the manor as a tourist attraction, highlighting Boston's lasting impact on children's literature.
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L. M. Boston
Writer
- Born: December 10, 1892
- Birthplace: Southport, Lancashire, England
- Died: May 25, 1990
- Place of death: Hemingford Grey, Huntingdonshire, England
Biography
L. M. (Lucy) Boston was the author of novels for young adults, most of them set in an ancient house called the Green Knowe. This fictional house was based on her actual home, the manor at Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire. The manor was constructed in the twelfth century and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in England. Boston moved into the manor in 1939.
Boston was born in Southport, Lancashire, England, and was educated at Downs School, Seaford, and Somerville College, Oxford. She trained as a nurse at St. Thomas Hospital and served in France during World War I. She continued her service to soldiers during World War II by holding gramophone recitals for Royal Air Force troops stationed nearby.
Her work in restoring the manor, with its ancient history and many hidden details, awakened her to a childlike perception that became the basis of her eight books about the Green Knowe. The first of this series, The Children of Green Knowe, was published in 1954. In her books, young visitors to the house encounter the ghosts of past inhabitants, and readers discover tales of life in the same locale across different eras. She was once quoted as saying that her aim in writing about children’s exploration of an ancient house and its gardens was to remind readers of “their muscular joy and rhythms and heartbeats, their instinctive loves and pity and awe of the unknown.”
Boston was awarded the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for The Children of Green Knowe as well as a Carnegie Medal for A Stranger at Green Knowe, the story of a gorilla who escapes from the zoo and finds brief refuge in the woods near the house. Boston’s son, Peter, illustrated many of her books. Thanks to the popularity of the Green Knowe series, the house and garden of the manor are now preserved as a tourist attraction.