Affectionate and informative, Unearthing the Secret Garden is not unlike a garden itself, with its smooth lawns of prose and striking shows of illustration and photography ... Gardeners are forever swiping ideas from one another. The green-of-thumb will find plenty to inspire in this engaging account, which includes an inventory of all Burnett’s favorite ornamentals.
In [the The Secret Garden], Burnett transforms surly young Mary Lennox from an abandoned and unloved outcast into an inquisitive and caring companion through her escapades in nature. McDowell does much the same for her subject, chronicling Burnett’s life, from an impoverished childhood in Tennessee to international renown and riches through her prolific career as an essayist and novelist ... With a sprightly tone, infectious enthusiasm, and a professor’s penchant for scholarly detail, McDowell brings keen insight and critical assessment to the life and works of this beloved author.
