Molly Make-Believe

Molly Make-Believe was authored by Eleanor Hallowell Abbott and first published in 1911 during a period when the author was gaining significant popularity for her whimsical and emotionally resonant magazine fiction. The story centers on a bedridden protagonist who receives elaborate, fictional letters from a mysterious woman, an inventive premise that explores themes of sympathy and human connection. It was initially serialized in The Century Magazine before its release as a standalone volume, where it quickly found favor with readers who appreciated its earnest, sentimental style.

The book’s design and narrative tone reflect the early twentieth-century fascination with literary romanticism and the power of imagination to alleviate physical hardship. Abbott’s work was often praised for its distinctively clever, albeit sometimes precious, prose, which helped define a specific brand of popular domestic fiction of the era. The Echo Library edition, while a later reprint, serves to preserve this specific historical snapshot of early 1900s American popular culture, capturing the aesthetic sensibilities of a time when novella-length heart-warmers were a staple of the middle-class home library.