Ellen Baker is the author of Keeping the House and I Gave My Heart to Know This. She has worked as a bookseller and event coordinator at an independent bookstore. Originally from the Upper Midwest, she currently lives in Maine.
“A family secret, a DNA test, a journey as rich and colorful as the
early-day circus itself. Through Cecily Larson’s hidden life, Ellen
Baker tenderly examines personal determination, lost love, family
ties, and our innate need to discover our own truth.” — Lisa
Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were
Yours and Before and After
“A sprawling, beautiful delight of a novel spanning nearly a
century as four generations gradually peel back the layers of
long-buried family secrets that may just change everything. Ellen
Baker weaves the intricacies of family dynamics into the
complicated fabric of early 20th-century America, deftly tackling
issues of race, identity, loss, and trauma through the story of a
family you’ll be rooting for with all your heart. I immensely
enjoyed this sweeping, heartrending, emotional roller coaster of a
tale, which made me laugh, cry, and think about the true meaning of
family.” — Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The
Paris Daughter
"Unforgettable. Baker's electrifying tale is a haunting testament
to the complex intersections of familial bonds driven by a
remarkable courage which can only be found in hope." — Kim
Michele Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of The Book
Woman of Troublesome Creek series
"The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is a deeply satisfying,
multi-generational rollercoaster of a novel written in gorgeous
prose and with characters that ring so true you want to reach out
and touch them. I savored every page of this book and will
remember the story of Cecily and Lucky for a very long time to
come." — Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The
Last Romantics and Community Board
“The Hidden Life Of Cecily Larson explores the lasting legacy of
love, family, loss, and luck, beautifully told through the lives of
an extended family. It is heartbreaking, yet redeeming, and shines
a light on the power of hope. I loved Ellen’s storytelling.” —
Crystal Smith Paul, author of Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?
“Part genetic mystery and part adventure story, The Hidden Life of
Cecily Larson takes readers on a riveting ride through
America, spanning nearly a century of history, heartbreak, and—most
importantly—hope. At the center of the novel is one impossible
love story, whose reverberations echo through the generations in
surprising ways. With rich, original settings, determined
characters, and countless twists and turns, Ellen Baker has written
a deeply felt novel about families, both lost and found.” —
Thao Thai, author of Banyan Moon
“Ellen Baker has written the quintessential escape novel, whose
overflowing plot involves three generations of women, family
secrets, a one-ring circus (really), and the pleasure of historical
flashbacks. Light a fire and settle in.” — Monica Wood, author of
The One-in-a-Million Boy
“An engaging, multigenerational family saga….Baker deftly weaves
the lives of three generations of Larson women into a moving tale
of secrets, identity, and found family.” — Booklist
“An intense true-to-life literary family saga…[THE HIDDEN LIFE OF
CECILY LARSON] delves deeply into human cruelty and kindness,
evolving racism, the Depression’s crushing impact on common people,
and relationships based on love or arranged to satisfy social
expectations.” — Historical Novels Review
"A sweeping tale of love and loss." — People
"Baker’s re-creation of circus life, tuberculosis-sanitarium life,
and home-for-wayward-girls life in the 1920s and ’30s is well
researched and punchy." — Kirkus Reviews
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