Edmonia

Praise for Edmonia

“With masterful storytelling and rich historical detail, Brianne Baker captures the remarkable journey of Edmonia Lewis, a sculptress who defied the constraints of race and gender in pre-and-post-Civil War America. From a tumultuous education and life-threatening challenges to artistic freedom in Rome, Lewis created iconic sculptures of figures like Cleopatra, Ulysses S. Grant, Frederick Douglass, and freed slaves, symbolizing liberty and justice. Baker’s compelling portrayal celebrates a trailblazing artist who overcame immense obstacles to carve her name into history.” —Diane C. McPhail, USA Today bestselling author

“Brianne Baker’s Edmonia brilliantly captures the spirit of its extraordinary protagonist—a Black and Indigenous sculptor who defied the bounds of her time. From selling crafts at Niagara Falls to creating masterpieces in Rome, Edmonia Lewis’s journey is a testament to unstoppable talent and fierce resilience. Baker brings to life a true American original who refused to let racism, sexism, or scandal dim her artistic fire. A remarkable debut that will move and inspire you!” —Amanda Skenandore, award-winning author of The Second Life of Mirielle West

“This is one of the most gripping stories I’ve read in years. It will hold your attention from the first page to the last. Edmonia’s courage and determination are an inspiration. Readers will praise Brianne Baker because she is a remarkable storyteller! —Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author

Brianne Baker is an author and professor who has taught courses in academic and creative writing at Columbia University and New York University. After graduating from NYU with a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she earned an MFA from Columbia University, where she received both a University Writing Fellowship and a De Alba Fellowship for fiction writing. She lives in New York City with her husband, their son, and their Shiba Inu, and Edmonia is her debut novel.

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