As an early pioneer in the now-well-established genre of creative nonfiction, author Anne Manning used the known facts of the lives of historical personages as the canvas upon which she created a compelling narrative. In these two works, Manning brings to life the remarkable existences first of Mary Powell, the wife of renowned poet John Milton, and then Deborah, one of the poet's daughters. These books will please Milton fans or any reader interested in the ins and outs of early modern life.