Featured in this issue of Collier’s is a new novel by Kathleen Norris, the highest paid female author of her day. Kathleen Thompson Norris (1880-1966) was a prolific author, producing over 80 novels in addition to numerous short stories and articles. Norris was a regular contributor to leading magazines such as Atlantic, Collier’s, and Ladies' Home Journal. Her first novel, “Lost Sunrise,” appeared in 1909 and was immediately popular. By the end of her career her books had sold over ten million copies.
Norris’ new novel, “Heartbroken Melody,” tells the story of a business girl who has known the joys of a first love and, later, in her half-amused comprehension when she looked back on that love as a thing finished. The story captures a sense of emotional evolution – a journey from the heights of youthful passion to a reflective, perhaps wistful, acknowledgement of its impermanence. The protagonist can both smile at the naivety of her past self and embrace the bittersweet nature of growing up, viewing it through the lens of experience and humor.
