Fanny: A Fiction

In this ambiguously entitled novel, Fanny Trollope, writer and mother of Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope, looks back almost thirty years to the late 1820s and her friendship with the notorious Fanny Wright, a utopian visionary who was the first woman to speak publicly as an abolitionist, the first leader of the first labor party, and a radical journalist. In this unfinished (imaginary) biography of the now almost-forgotten Fanny Wright, Fanny Trollope uses flashbacks to explain Wright's development as a firebrand, her association with the intellectual leaders of the day, and the friendship between the two women.Wright spent much time traveling the "paradise" of the United States, while the financially struggling Fanny Trollope remained in London and Paris, where she met Stendahl, Prosper Merimee, Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, William Cullen Bryant, and eventually the revered Marquis de Lafayette. Fanny Wright and Lafayette had toured the United States together, and biographer Trollope records for posterity their travels and their meetings--with Thomas Jefferson about slavery, with Charles Bonaparte about the "atheistic, utopian, communistic society [of] Robert Owen," and with representatives of the Haitian government about a possible homeland for freed slaves. When Wright recruits Fanny Trollope to help her promote a 2000-acre colony called Nashoba, near Memphis, the relationship between Wright and Trollope (who brings three of her children with her) comes to life. Wright intends "to liberate the Negro" and to show that "white men and women can live together without God, money, marriage, or even occupation" in an idyllic community, but Fanny Trollope is shocked by the reality of the Nashoba "utopia" on her arrival. She notes "the general slovenliness of the people" and the poverty all along the Mississippi, and comments that she has to lift her skirts to avoid tobacco juice in public places throughout the US. She is horrified that in Robert Owen's New Harmony, small children see their parents only once or twice a year and that many newcomers are freeloaders with no motivation to work. As the two women and children travel throughout the country, the reader observes their increasingly fragile relationship. Trollope sees life whole, while Wright sees life in ideal terms, failing to recognize people as individuals while setting goals for humanity in general. Trollope is vividly drawn--resourceful, practical, and instinctively warm--while Wright, the subject of the biography, remains, unfortunately, aloof. Filled with the intellectual, social, and philosophical debates of mid-nineteenth century Europe and the United States, this novel is a fascinating study of two thoughtful, intelligent women who tried to make a difference. Mary Whipple

Being a virgin reader of historical fiction, I am glad that my first time was with Edmund White's Fanny. His literature has been a rich source of information and emotions for the gay community for years (note the trilogy that begun with A boy's own story), as well as for the society in general (the AIDS related theme and the profound knowledge of the human mind), so the departure towards this genre is very exciting. The story flows between an autobiographical tone and a comical narration, through which we are introduced to the lives of the two Fannys: Mrs. Trollope the narrator, and Miss Wright the subject of most of it. The author knows exactly when to call for a laugh so one does not feel overwhelmed with too much history (the spitting anecdotes of the american men during the first visit of the european ladies to the New World), or how to reckon the current times by association (the description of old New York or Cincinnatti can only make us think of how things have changed to this day!). On the other hand, the "cameo" appearances of known people like Lafayette, Brownings or Jefferson serve to get us all set in time and provoke much more interest in the reader. The only hint about a gay relationship is given almost at the end, but he quickly turns the flashlight to another topic. Overall, this is a book that will not disappoint even the most exquisite taste. Every element that has made Edmund White one of the best writers of our generation is present here, and many more that we get to discover with joy. Enough to count the days until we can dive into his next book.

Edmund White has published a trilogy of novels in a mode he has termed "autofiction" and another novel heavily based upon his experiences with one of his lovers who died of AIDS. He is currently working on his autobiography and later this year a book called Original Youth: The Real Story of Edmund White's Youth by Keith Fleming will be published. Stephen Barber has also published a biography of White. This profuse amount of material focusing on White's life uses it to examine how gay culture has evolved through decades of gradual liberation. It is a tribute to the complex way a gay identity does not only encompass one life, but many.White is also a skilful artist that is able to experiment in his narratives with different genres. Persistently, his focus is on particular lives and through them he excavates the ideologies of the time that impacted upon these people's lives. His new novel FANNY: A FICTION is on its surface a great departure from his earlier work, but when examined closely utilizes his greatest skills as a writer to tremendous success. It is a fictional biography of the cerebral Scottish pioneer Francis Wright who moved to America in the early 19th centuy to found a commune with the hope of dissolving slavery. It is narrated from the perspective of Francis Trollope who was a friend to Wright and a middle class women seeking to reverse the fortunes of her family as they sank into bankruptcy. She did so by publishing a non-fiction work titled Domestic Manners of the Americans which trashed the culture of the "New World". Given Wright's ecstatic love of America, this created a rift in the tempestuous friendship of the two which could never be healed. Trollope is writing this biography close to her own death, years after the death of Francis Wright. Still, the anger and resentment burns between these two revolutionary women.FANNY: A FICTION feels like some amazing drag act with White dressed as Mrs. Trollope. It is an incredibly entertaining read with pages overflowing with tantalizing gossip and fascinating observations. It's also much more sophisticated than just that because it's composed with such a tight structure and uses an elegant style with luscious detail to convey the effect of the early 1800s. What is does best is to examine how the details of a person's life work within the context of when they lived. While this novel includes almost none of the gay content White is famous for, it does point out the aching divisions that can exist within a minority group seeking equality. The abolitionist movement was long and complex with many disagreements about how the end of slavery should be achieved. From the vantage point of history it is easy to forget how groups that struggle for equality are inevitably made of individuals whose objectives may greatly differ. It can even inspire hatred between those who should be allies. Now that the movement for gay liberation has progressed this far with many of it's pioneers buried, it may be use

Edmund White in his last book the Married Man gave us a heart wrenching account of loyalty and death in the age of AIDS. Over the years he has never ceased to amaze me with his eclectic and original work. Fanny is his first foray into historical fiction, and what a "ripping" read it is. Fanny is also the type of book that you almost have to read in one sitting, as White's eloquent, whimsical and elegant style demands your full attention. The story whisks along at such a deft and fast pace that you just can't put it down. White totally envelopes us in the world of the 1820's with Frances Trollope, a narrator who is telling a story as much about herself as of her friend and consort, Fanny Wright. I must confess, I knew absolutely nothing about Fanny Wright, so the story of her forward thinking ideas, and the fact that a women with those kind of ideas had a voice during this time was very interesting to me. Fanny White is truly a remarkable woman and when one considers the era in which she lived, she certainly achieved some significant feats. In 1829 she had been the most controversial and notorious woman in America. She was the first woman in America to speak publicly about slavery, the first woman ever to address a mixed audience, a notorious atheist, the first leader of the first labor party, and the most radical journalist in the land. Francis sees Fanny as determined and vibrant, but also bourgeois, selfish, hypocritical and superior. And their friendship endures years of highs and lows. Fanny: A Fiction, is about the changing and tumultuous geo-political landscape of America at the time. The religious fervor, and infant evangelism of the mid-west is juxtaposed with the efforts of Fanny to create an equal, socialistic society where marriage is outlawed, the races are equal and where the spiritual and holy are spurned. Frances's observations of the New World are striking in their authenticity and humour, and many readers will laugh at her comments about the transatlantic differences in attitudes and life styles. Perhaps these differences are not so uncommon even today. Interestingly, the story is also peppered with real historical figures, which add a sense of authenticity and historical kudos to the tale. Although they play only cameo roles, The Brownings, Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, and James Fenimore Cooper, influence and sway the way the inimitable Fanny feels about certain issues. Poor Francis Trollope - she's reduced to poverty, married to a man who is chilly and uncaring. And she's trying desperately to raise her children in a climate of paucity. Fanny and her worldviews induce Francis with a kind of fatalistic enthusiasm and eagerness that was unobtainable from anywhere else. This story is a remarkable testament to this fervor and commitment, even though in many respects, the friendship didn't work out for the best. Fanny is probably one of the most entertaining, well-written and intriguing stories of the year, and is a real testament t

She was the first woman in America to address a mixed audience of men and women, the first woman to oppose slavery, the first leader of the first labor union. and the most radical journalist in the land. But who today remembers Frances Wright? Not surprising that she is forgotten, writes Frances Trollope in her "biography" of the flame-haired Scottish feminist. "She was too challenging, too uncomfortable to be remembered."And who today remembers Fanny Trollope, either? The author of bestselling non-fiction beloved for her piercing eye and skewering wit is now probably known only as the mother of Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope. Edmund White explores the lives of two Englishwomen who had tremendous impact on the young United States, and in this clever, quirky novel, reminds us of the idealistic roots of our nation and the mythic lure of the American dream.By the time Fanny Trollope met Fanny Wright she was already in her fifties, living in a dank cottage with smoking fireplaces, too many children and a sick husband who had lost the family's money. She welcomes the visiting Fanny Wright who lights up the dismal homeplace with the power of her utopian idealism. Fanny T. is enchanted, and like so many others decides that America is the place where she can launch her oldest son in a career and take part in a noble experiment. What happens on this journey is the reason why, twenty-five years later, Fanny Trollope sits down to write this very ungenerous "biography" of the other Fanny.Trollope became famous for the book she wrote upon her return that lambasted the United States, a book that, if it is anything like what White describes here, must be a real hoot. Her views are acute and funny (a trip to the French town of Brie: "they make a smelly, runny cheese, a slutty mess that makes one long for chaste cheddar"). But like many people able to smartly sum up others, she is completely oblivious to what is going on with those directly around her. Shabby, with many of her teeth stuck to her gums with chunks of wax, incredibly astute and totally clueless, Fanny Trollope is an unlikely heroine. She is impossible not to like, but what is her fixation with Fanny Wright? This is a witty, tart, and ultimately moving look at a friendship gone awry, disappointment with utopian ideals, and the humanity of heroes. The last book I read by Edmund White was his bio of Jean Genet, so I would certainly have to agree with the critics that "Fanny" is a departure for him. He seems high on the oxygen of this new endeavor and writes with a lovely freedom and wit. Both the Fannys are a pleasure.