Back home in America following her European adventures, in âPattyâs Successâ Patty begins to learn a little about the world of work. Patty hears about a talented young artist who wants to come to New York City to train but canât afford it. Believing it should be easy to earn enough money, Patty and her father challenge each other â if Patty can earn $15 in a week her father will pay for the artistâs education. Patty soon finds it harder than she imagined to earn a decent wage, but she is determined to achieve her goal. An entertaining story in the Patty Fairfield series from prolific author Carolyn Wells, âPattyâs Successâ is also a fascinating insight into views on acceptable occupations for young women in early 20th century America.
Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was a prolific American novelist and poet, best known for her childrenâs literature, mystery novels and humorous verse. Following school in New Jersey, Wells worked as a librarian, where she developed her love of reading. It was during 1896 that Wells' first book âAt the Sign of the Sphinxâ was published. From 1900 she dedicated herself to her literary career, writing over 170 novels in total across a range of genres. Some of her most loved works include the âPatty Fairfieldâ and âMarjorie Maynardâ series for girls, as well as the âFleming Stoneâ mystery series for adults. Wells is also well-known for her humorous nonsense verse, and was a frequent contributor of verse to magazines. She published an autobiography âThe Rest of my Lifeâ in 1937. Wells died in New York City in 1942.