The author: Dorothy Witt was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1948, she arrived in Berkeley, California, married Melvin Witt,had two daughters, and earned a degree in librarianship at the University of California. She then worked as a children's librarian and storyteller. In the late 1970s, Dorothy wrote 'Nell Thrupp' but was unable to bring it to an acceptable conclusion. On turning 90, desiring a challenging project for her last years, she rewrote it to her satisfaction. The book: Born in 1864 in Ipswich, England during the Victorian age, to a mother who did not want her, Nell was both illegitimate and nearly blind. The mother, Salome, gave her to a reluctant Aunt Winifred who saw to her physical needs but lacked understanding. Salome had another illegitimate child, Violet, this one adored and kept. In school, Nell was unable to learn because of her poor eyesight, but an observant teacher discovered the problem. When Nell was fitted with glasses she became the scholar of her dreams. In a cruel turn of events, Nell was taken out of school to care for her mother who had consumption, an ordeal that lasted a year. At her mother's death, she went into service as a maid-of-all-work and Violet was shipped off to Canada to an orphan asylum. Nell was stunned and saddened but with the help of an odd cast of characters, she was able to find a way forward.