Margaret Oliphant - Who Was Lost and is Found: "I think reading a novel is almost next best to having something to do"

Margaret Oliphant Wilson's life was marked by both literary achievement and personal tragedy. After publishing her first novel in 1849, she established a successful writing career while navigating the challenges of family life, including the deaths of three of her six children and her husband's battle with tuberculosis. Following his death, she supported her remaining children through her writing. Despite her prolific output and growing reputation, she faced further losses, including the deaths of her two surviving sons, leading to a decline in her health and spirit until her passing in 1897.