Shortlisted for the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize 2022 Longlisted for the William M B Berger Prize for British Art History 2022 Guardian Art Book of the Year 2021 A dazzling, boldly original work that tells the powerful and passionate stories of a group of extraordinary women as glimpsed through their still life paintings What is contained in a still life – and what falls out of the frame? For women artists in the early twentieth century, such as Dora Carrington, Vanessa Bell and Gwen John, this art form was a conduit for their lives, their rebellions, their quietly subversive loves for men and women. But for every artist whom we remember, there are those whose work is almost forgotten. In This Dark Country, Rebecca Birrell conducts a dazzling fusion of group biography and art criticism, exploring, from the celebrated to the overlooked, the structures of intimacy that make – and dismantle – our worlds. 'A brilliant book ... A truly radical aesthetics fit for the twenty-first century at last!' - Thérèse Oulton '[A] wonderful book. I am impressed and fascinated. It is beautifully written' - Celia Paul

The Poetical gazette; the official organ of the Poetry society and a review of poetical affairs, nos. 4-7 issued as supplements to the Academy, v. 79, Oct. 15, Nov. 5, Dec. 3 and 31, 1910

Abandonment, bigamy, crib deaths, single mothers struggling to raise families - these are not new age phenomena. Mollie Tidwell knew them all as well as she knew her own family. But how well was that? In the late 1800s these truths were swept under the parlor rug. Mollie Tidwell was born near Springfield, Illinois, an only child. When she was four her mother died and she was given away to the Indians. In summary this sounds a fearful thing but in reality it was Mollies rebirth. Surrounded by love she became a young women of promise whose only goal was to marry and find security and love in her own home. She came the full circle in adjusting to her different lives: from the white society; to Indian; to quarter-blood; to white. But, the Cherokee Indian teachings were the lasting influences for her. The story finally had to be written when a relative shared a memory that Mollie had told of her Grandfather who would ride a tall white horse to the edge of the Tidwell property for a secret visit. He would bring her an apple for a treat. The theme of this story? Mollies family became her possessions. When death tried to take them away she would not let them go. What she had to learn was that your children were a gift to be returned to God. Before she died she realized that she must forgive them for dying and release their earth bound spirits. It was a race against time for her.