New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini will be in town at Wellesley Books on Friday, December 18, 7pm, to promote her new novel, Enchantress of Numbers. I chatted by phone with Chiaverini about the amazing life of the Enchantress, Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace. Credited as the world’s first computer programmer, Ada was also the only legitimate child of Romantic-era poet Lord Byron, a scandal magnet from whom Ada’s mathematician mother was estranged. Life’s not easy in the early 19th century when your father was “mad, bad, and dangerous to know” and your mother’s friends are watching your every move, waiting for you to turn out just like him.
Here are a few things Chiaverini had to say about Ada. I’ve distilled our conversation to keep the post brief, but the words are all from the author. Chiaverini chatted about Ada as if she were a dear friend, someone she had spent a lot of time with and knew well and might just be meeting for coffee later. Such are the advantages/perils of immersing yourself utterly in your latest project. Here’s what she said:
Be smart, dear, but tone it down when among society
“Ada was very intelligent and very bright. For all the mistakes her mother made in denying her creative outlets, her mother did recognize her daughter was very bright, and invested in her education…She had so many restraints put upon her, yet she certainly came from a very privileged position.
“It was a very lonely existence. She was very isolated. They moved around a lot. She knew study and academic achievement would win her mother’s approval. But she had to show the right amount of interest. You didn’t want to develop a “mania”…Her mother’s judgmental friends were always watching her. Will she become this licentious, unrestrained person like her father, Lord Byron?
Turned out, society was kind of into her mind
“She was desperately eager for social life. She had a lot of catching up to do socially…She was isolated with sickness for a time as a child, bedridden with her books, sketchbooks, and her harp. Although she didn’t want for anything in the material sense, especially after the death of her maternal grandmother, she didn’t care about fashion. What Ada wanted to do was solve geometric proofs.
“Ada would adopt people immediately. She was just a bright, lonely child whose father was portrayed as a monstrous person. Her mom wanted her to mingle with the right sorts of people. By making the rounds of parties and dinners, she did get to meet intellectually minded people in London. With her mother’s position in society, she had entree into these various circles in science. So many doors were opened up for her. She met all these accomplished people who were interested in math and science.”
Inventor Charles Babbage — creator of his first calculating machine, which he called the Difference Engine, and an even more advanced Analytical Engine — was one of those people, and he would help shape her destiny.
Computer Science 101
“Calculating machines, up to this point, were done almost factory style in order to make difficult calculations such as for navigation. Babbage invented a breakthough of technology. He designed a calculating system with cogs and wheels and levers. But he had funding issues and made a tabletop example and would invite people to come and look at it. When he tried to explain what it would do to transform commerce and industry, people were unconvinced, thinking he was speaking in hyperbole.
“Ada said like music is represented by a symbol, so can this device transform everything. She had amazing insight. Ada could see that the Analytical Engine would truly be a marvel. She wanted to publicize it and explain to the world what it could do and help him get funding.”
Along the way, Ada also falls in love, finds out how her strict, analytically minded mother fell in love with her poet father, and stands up to those who looked askance at her passion for learning.
Chiaverini, who also counts Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker and Fates & Traitors among her literary accomplishments, will be at Wellesley Books on Friday, December 8 at 7pm.
MORE AUTHORS VISITING WELLESLEY…
At Wellesley Books…
12/6 Oliver Jeffers – Here We Are [ticketed]
12/8 Jennifer Chiaverini – Enchantress of Numbers
12/12 Elizabeth Berg – The Story of Arthur Truluv [ticketed]
See below for full event descriptions.
For questions contact Wellesley Books (781) 431-1160
–Jane Stiles ([email protected]), Events Manager
–Geoffrey Hewer-Candee ([email protected]), Marketing Coordinator
store.wellesleybooks.com
– The author will appear in person at the event.
– The phone number for more information is (781) 431-1160.
– To enter the signing line at any event sponsored by Wellesley Books, attendees must have purchased the lead title from Wellesley Books.
– If you cannot attend an event, you can still order a copy of the book to be personalized by the author.
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Oliver Jeffers, bestselling author/illustrator of Up and Down and illustrator of the smash hit The Day the Crayons Quit, presents Here We Are, a sweet and humorous picture book about our world and those who call it home.
Please note that this is a ticketed event. Tickets are $5 and can be used as a coupon off the price of the book. Buy tickets in-store, by phone at 781-431-1160, or online at store.wellesleybooks.com. Please also note that this Wellesley Books event will take place at Tenacre School Country Day School (Wells Theater), 78 Benvenue St, Wellesley, MA 02482.
Wednesday, December 6th 2017 @ 6pm
Oliver Jeffers – “Here We Are”
Author reading, Q&A, and book signing
This ticketed Wellesley Books event will take place at Tenacre School Country Day School (Wells Theater), 78 Benvenue St, Wellesley, MA 02482
http://store.wellesleybooks.
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Jennifer Chiaverini, bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, presents Enchantress of Numbers, a novel about the fascinating life of Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace—Lord Byron’s daughter and the world’s first computer programmer.
Friday, December 8th 2017 @ 7pm
Jennifer Chiaverini – “Enchantress of Numbers”
Author reading, Q&A, and book signing
This event takes place at Wellesley Books, 82 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02482
http://store.wellesleybooks.
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Elizabeth Berg, author of the bestselling Oprah’s Book Club selection Open House, presents The Story of Arthur Truluv, a life-affirming novel about love, loss, and second chances.
Please note that this is a ticketed event. Tickets are $5 and can be used as a coupon off the price of the book. Buy tickets in-store, by phone at 781-431-1160, or online at store.wellesleybooks.com.
Tuesday, December 12th 2017 @ 7pm
Elizabeth Berg – “The Story of Arthur Truluv”
Author reading, Q&A, and book signing
This ticketed event takes place at Wellesley Books, 82 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02482
http://store.wellesleybooks.
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