Frances Hodgson Burnett was the highest paid and most widely read woman writer of her time, publishing more than fifty novels and thirteen plays. Born in England and transplanted to New York toward the end of the Civil War, Burnett made her home in both countries, and today both countries claim her as their own. The Secret Garden , her best-known work, became an instant modern classic and world-wide bestseller upon its publication in 1911. The text of this Norton Critical Edition is based on the first edition and is accompanied by explanatory annotations.

" Backgrounds and Contexts " and " Letters " illuminate important aspects of Burnett's life and work and include her own writings on gardens and their spiritual healing. Four illustrations point to Burnett's prominence in popular culture.

" Criticism " includes fourteen contemporary reviews and nine recent critical views of The Secret Garden , including Jerry Phillips's sociopolitical interpretation and Phyllis Bixler's comparative analysis of the Broadway musical adaptation of the novel.

A Chronology and Selected Bibliography are also included.

About the Series : No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions . Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide.