The beautiful Dare Wright wrote and illustrated a series of children's books beginning in the 1960s. The first book was 'The Lonely Doll' and it was this beloved story that popped into Jean Nathan's mind one day. She decided to track down a copy of the book and found out they were difficult to find because they were out of print and so many women remembered this series from their childhood. This intrigues Ms. Nathan and she searches in earnest for Dare Wright and finally tracks the author to a public hospital. No one knows if Dare Wright is fully able to understand what is going on although she responds at times with a smile or nod at the end of her days. Jean decides to find out why Dare Wright could write a book that touched so many and what she used in her photographs to make the dolls and bears so realistic.
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Ms. Wright was separated as a very young girl from her father and brother through divorce. Her mother, Edie, mostly ignored her. Food and child care were an after thought in Edie Wright's life. Dare's mother was also grandiose and deceitful, not only to make an impression but also with friends and of course, Dare. Dare may never have known the truth because she relied on her mother so very much. After being placed in boarding school, Dare seems to have begun relying on her imagination and her doll, pining for her mother, while wanting her father and brother. Even as an adult, her mother continued to manipulate her from different cities and even different continents. Ms. Wright does find her brother during her adulthood but her mother and brother never get along. Edie, is a portrait artist and Dare first models, then turns to photography. Through photography and text, she tells the stories of "The Lonely Doll" and Jean parallels the books with Dare's life of longing.
The review of this Book prepared by Jody T. Bixby
