[Gutenberg 56477] • The Lady's Country Companion / Or, how to enjoy a Country Life rationally

Loudon (nee Webb, 1807-58) was an English author and early pioneer of science fiction before the term was invented. She also created the first popular gardening manuals, as opposed to specialised horticultural works, aimed at making gardening an accessible pastime for women. Her father having died penniless in 1824 when she was only 17, Loudon turned to writing as a means of supporting herself. Her first novel The Mummy!, or a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century was published anonymously in 1827. It relates the story of the Egyptian mummy of Cheops who is is brought back to life in 2126 and describes a future filled with advanced technology. The book drew many favourable reviews, including one in 1829 in The Gardener's Magazine written by John Claudius Loudon noting the author's invention of a steam plough. Author and reviewer eventually met in 1830 and were married a year later. After her marriage Loudon turned to writing about gardening and domestic affairs, publishing a number of books on the subject. This work, subtitled How to Enjoy a Country Life Rationally, offers advice on a wide range of topics related to country living. It was first published in 1845 and is reprinted from the fourth edition of 1852. With illustrations.