Harding's Luck

Book excerpt: Edith Nesbit (1858 – 1924) was an English poet and author. She is perhaps best remembered for her children's literature, publishing more than 60 such books under the name E. Nesbit. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, which had a significant influence on the Labour Party and British politics in general. “Harding's Luck” is the 1909 sequel to Nesbit's 1908 novel “The House of Arden”. It tells the story of Dickie Harding, an orphan who must use a crutch due to an injured leg. Despite his father having given him an old toy as a good luck charm, Dickie appears to be very much lacking in the good luck department. However, the discovery of a moon-flower which contains magical seeds throws him into a world of magic, romance, suspense, sacrifice, and triumph over adversity. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.