The Queen of Heartbreak Trail: The Life and Times of Harriet Smith Pullen, Pioneering Woman (TwoDot, An Imprint of Rowman & Littlefield, 2016)
***2017 WILLA Literary Award Finalist in Scholarly Nonfiction***
A compelling look at the life of an American pioneer woman whose adventurous spirit broke molds and continues to capture the imagination of a new generation
In 1897, Harriet Smith Pullen abruptly left her home in Washington State and landed in Skagway, Alaska, broke and alone, in the midst of the Klondike Gold Rush. Her enterprising attitude and gregarious nature would make her an Alaska legend.
“When Brackbill decided to set the record straight about the life and times of her famous great grandmother, Klondike Gold Rush pioneer, Harriet Smith Pullen, she wasn’t kidding. This meticulously researched and immensely entertaining book about the stylish and strong rancher’s daughter is an insightful and fascinating read.”
–CHRIS ENSS, New York Times best-selling author
An Uncommon Cape: Researching the Histories and Mysteries of a Property (Excelsior Editions, An Imprint of State University of New York Press, September 2012)
Three mysteries precipitate an investigation into an otherwise ordinary suburban property, revealing a past inextricably woven into four centuries of American history
When Eleanor Phillips Brackbill bought her house in 2000, three mysteries came with it. Her curiosity aroused, Brackbill peeled back layers of history, allowing the house and the land to tell their stories. She found thirty-two owners, across 350 years, who had just one thing in common: ownership of a particular parcel of land.
“A detective story set in her own backyard, Eleanor Phillips Brackbill’s book shows the rich stories even our own homes can tell us if we take the time to hear them. What to most looks like a common residential Cape-style home in a suburban neighborhood can tell us more about ourselves as New Yorkers than anything we learned about in school. This book is a testament to the value of historic preservation and an appreciation of all that is our past, including our victories, our failures, and our faults.”
–JAY A. DILORENZO, President, Preservation League of New York
*** The WILLA Literary Award is named in honor of Pulitzer Prize winner Willa Cather, one of the country’s foremost novelists. Awarded annually for outstanding literature featuring women’s stories set in the West, the WILLA Literary Awards are chosen by a distinguished panel of professional librarians.
Eleanor is a member of the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance (check out my profile page, at Find Maine Writers, http://find.mainewriters.org/writers/eleanor_phillips_brackbill) and the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association and is represented by Rita Rosenkranz of Rita Rosenkranz Literary Agency.
http://find.mainewriters.org/writers/eleanor_phillips_brackbill/