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Mary Stewart


The wonderful Mary Stewart has passed away. I've written about her previously here and here, but I just wanted to say that I'm . . . I'm so sad. The first line of the first Stewart book I read (which happened to be her very first book as well) reads, "The whole affair began so very quietly." I spent the summer after my freshman year of college devouring anything of hers I could get my hands on. One year, for my birthday, my husband tracked down beautiful copies of every one of her books. I went into my library last night and ran a finger along their beloved spines. And as I type this now I'm stepping off the plane in Paris with Linda, navigating the twisted streets of Provence with Charity, climbing the sun-dried ruins of Delphi with Camilla, and I think—my, what a legacy.

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  1. Angiegirl1:02 PM

    I remember seeing that Mary Stewart shelf of yours and wondering who that author is. I need to thank you for recommending her books! I don't think I would have picked them up otherwise.

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  2. Angiegirl1:05 PM

    Oh, I remember reading her books in high school and loving them. So sorry to hear she has died. Thank you for posting this. She has a wonderful legacy with all her books. And what a wonderful gift your husband gave you.

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  3. Angiegirl2:21 PM

    I saw this this other day too and immediately thought of you :) And although mine is a more recent discovery, I did the same thing when I heard though, went and looked over all my Mary Stewart books and gave a little sigh. I think I've only got about 5 more of her books left that I haven't read yet and I'm a bit sad about finishing once and for all. Such a perfect storyteller.


    I do love your shelf though!

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  4. Angiegirl10:49 PM

    My pleasure, Chachic. She's an author whose work I find so charming, I always want to pass it on.

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  5. Angiegirl10:50 PM

    It really was a wonderful birthday. Definitely one for the books. Some of those original hardcovers with dust jackets are just beautiful.

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  6. Angiegirl10:50 PM

    Sigh. I know the feeling. I still haven't read Lloyd Alexander's last published book because I get weepy thinking I'll never have a new one.

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  7. Angiegirl11:10 PM

    Oh wow, I hadn't heard.

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  8. Angiegirl12:38 AM

    Angie, thank you for this post. You put into words what I felt - sad. Her books had a tremendous influence on how I see the world.

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  9. Angiegirl12:44 PM

    I know. So sad.

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  10. Angiegirl12:46 PM

    That's lovely to hear, Pam. Her novels have been around a long time. I hope they continue to be read and discovered for years to come.

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  11. Angiegirl12:48 PM

    I thought of you when I saw that Mary Stewart had died. What a lovely tribute.

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  12. Angiegirl2:46 PM

    :) Thanks, JoLee.

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  13. Angiegirl2:59 PM

    What a beautiful tribute to Stewart. Like you, I discovered Stewart young: first the Arthurian books, which I discovered in ninth grade, and then my mother's few romantic suspense novels. Like you, I fell in love with her books and devoured everything of hers I could find. I've got almost all her books, though admittedly not in such lovely condition as yours; I haunted used bookstores for years to collect them. I am saddened to hear of her death, but yes: what a lovely legacy she leaves behind, in her books and in all of us who were influenced by them.

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  14. Angiegirl11:42 AM

    I love the thought of all those mothers with Mary Stewart collections just waiting for their daughters to discover them. :) And the haunting of the used bookstores . . . one of my favorite pastimes ever.

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  15. Angiegirl4:42 PM

    I've introduced my now-college-age daughter to the books, via Airs Above the Ground. I think I've got her interested in reading the others. ;-)

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  16. Angiegirl10:06 PM

    I wanted to let you know that I'm linking to your tribute in my News & Notes post for 5/31/14. I thought about it, but I couldn't say it any better than you already had. Thank you.

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