Mary J. HolmesMary Jane Holmes was an American author who wrote 39 books and short stories. She was born April 5, 1825, and died October 6, 1907. Her first book sold 250,000 copies, and she sold 2 million books all together, second only to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Sme of her books are "Tempest and Sunshine" (1854), "English Orphans" (1855), "Homestead on the Hillside" (1855), "Lena Rivers" (1856), "Meadow Brook" (1857), "Dora Deane" (1858), "Cousin Maude" (1860), "Marian Gray" (1861), "Hugh Worthington" (1864), and "Cameron Vide" (1867). "Rose Mather" (1868), "Ethelyn's Mistake" (1869), "Edna Browning" (1872), "Mildred" (1877), "Forest House" (1879), "Daisy Thornton," "Queenie Hetherton" (1883), "Christmas Stories" (1884), and "Bessie's Fortune" (1885). They were "Gretchen" (1887) and "Marguerite" (1891). She looked at ties between men and women, as well as those between class and race, by writing about everyday life in small towns and rural areas. She had a strong sense of what was right and wrong when it came to slavery and the American Civil War. Since the late 20th century, she has gotten new attention and praise, even though most 19th-century literature histories didn't include her popular works. She looked at ties between men and women, as well as those between class and race, by writing about everyday life in small towns and rural areas. Read More Read Less