The Enchanted April

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Dedicated to all who "appreciate wisteria and sunshine," The Enchanted April is Elizabeth Von Armin's dreamlike celebration of womanhood, friendship, and love.

Published in 1922 to critical acclaim, The Enchanted April follows the story of four strangers: Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot, two housewives whose marriages have lost their spark; Mrs. Fisher, an elderly widow who longs for the days of her youth; and the beautiful socialite, Lady Caroline. Seeking a vacation and a desperately needed change of scenery, each woman answers an ad in the Times to rent a medieval castle for the month of April. Arriving at their beautiful temporary home in the picturesque country of Italy, the womenboth individually and apartgo on journeys of self-discovery; growing as friends and learning the joy and value of having a room of one's own.

An immediate bestseller upon its initial publication and never out of print since, The Enchanted April has charmed and delighted readers for over a century with its lyrical prose and endearing characters.

Author Bio

Born Mary Annette Beauchamp, Elizabeth von Armin (1866-1941) was an English novelist best known for the semi-autobiographical dark comedy Vera (1921) and the historical romance The Enchanted April (1922). Armin's literary career would begin at the age of thirty-two, formally introducing herself to the world as "Elizabeth" with her debut satire Elizabeth and Her German Garden (1898); she would go on to produce over a dozen works of fiction over the course of forty years as well as a pseudo-autobiography All the Dogs in My Life (1936). In her personal life, Armin was also connected to several influential literary figures of the nineteenth and early twentieth century by either relation or sheer coincidence including Kathleen Mansfield, H.G. Wells, E.M. Forester and Hugh Walpole. With several of her works being adapted for both stage and screen (most notable being 1992's Academy Award-winning The Enchanted April) Armin's literary talent continues to delight and dazzle readers of the modern age.