Author: Bertha De Jongh
Author: Bertha De Jongh (1848–1905)
Biography: One of the odder cases of Victorian authorship. Bertha De Jongh was born on 7 August 1848 in Newport, Rhode Island, the daughter of U.S. naval officer William F. De Jongh and his wife Amelia (née Tower). As a young woman, she wrote five novels, all anonymously published in England by Bentley. There is no evidence she attempted publishing in her native country nor any reason why she eschewed more local publishers. At least one reviewer noted a decline in quality from book to book. De Jongh may have traveled at some point to Europe, but no records document any. She died of tuberculosis on 21 August 1905 in Kingstown, Rhode Island. Note: authorship confirmed in Bentley records and Redwood Library records.
Author Tags:
References: Providence News (23 August 1905); U.S. Census (1850, 1860)
Fiction Titles:
- Rosa Noel: A Novel. 3 vol. London: Bentley, 1873.
- The Sisters Lawless: A Novel. 3 vol. London: Bentley, 1874.
- Loving and Loth: A Novel. 3 vol. London: Bentley, 1875.
- "We are Worldlings". 3 vol. London: Bentley, 1876.
- Camille's Tormentor. 2 vol. London: Bentley, 1877.