The Story of Beatrix Potter

A smaller, cheaper edition of this acclaimed illustrated biography of Beatrix Potter. Respected biographer Sarah Gristwood discovers a life crisscrossed with contradictions and marked by tragedy, yet one that left a remarkable literary and environmental legacy. This illustrated biography of the beloved writer has been a strong seller and critical success. It is now available in a smaller, more affordable format. Interest in Beatrix Potter and her characters is undimmed, with the second Peter Rabbit film being released in summer 2021 and an exhibition at the V&A from February 2022, 'Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature'.  Few people realise how extraordinary Beatrix Potter's own story is. She was a woman of contradictions. A sheltered Victorian daughter who grew into an astute modern businesswoman. A talented artist who became a scientific expert. A famous author who gave it all up to become a farmer, then a pioneering conservationist.  Bestselling biographer Sarah Gristwood follows the twists and turns of Beatrix Potters life and its key turning points including her tragically brief first engagement and happy second marriage late in life. She traces the creation of Beatrixs most famous characters including the naughty Peter Rabbit, confused Jemima Puddleduck and cheeky Squirrel Nutkin revealing how she drew on her unusual childhood pets and locations in her beloved Lake District.  A fitting legacy for a pioneering conservationist who helped save thousands of acres of the Lake District. The Mail on Sunday Excellent, anecdotal text The Times Literary Supplement Beautifully illustrated. The Sunday Express