First published 2018
Catharina Elisabeth Goethe reflects on her life as the mother of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of Germany's most celebrated writers. Through her eyes, we see the domestic world that shaped a literary genius. She recalls the early signs of her son's exceptional mind, the challenges of nurturing his talents in 18th-century Frankfurt, and the complex relationship between a devoted mother and her ambitious child. Catharina Elisabeth navigates the social expectations of her time while recognizing something extraordinary in young Wolfgang. She watches him grow from a curious boy into the author of works that would define German literature. The story captures her pride, her worries, and her deep understanding of the son who would become immortal through his writing. This intimate portrait reveals the woman behind the great man, showing how maternal love and wisdom contributed to the formation of a literary legend.
Genres: biography, family, historical-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-dynamics, mother-son-relationship
Setting: Frankfurt
Period: 18th-Century
308 pages · Hardcover · Franklin Classics