The Violent Friendship of Esther Johnson

One of literary history's most enduring mysteries, Esther Johnson was Jonathan Swift's friend, secretary, confidante, mentor, and muse. She was the Stella of his poems and letters -- and possibly, according to some, his secret wife. From the handful of facts we know about Esther Johnson and the few surviving pieces of writing credited to her, Trudy Morgan-Cole has created a brilliantly realized portrait of a remarkable woman and her lifelong relationship with one of the giants of Western literature. 

The Violent Friendship of Esther Johnson sifts through the tangled record of history to create a fictional re-imagining of the relationship between Jonathan Swift and his Stella -- a woman well known to literary history only because of her connection to Swift, and remembered by most people under a name not her own. This novel gives Esther Johnson back not only her name but her voice. 

Originally published by Penguin Books Canada in 2006, this novel is now available for the first time as an e-book.