Forever Amber
Abandoned pregnant and penniless on the teeming streets of London, 16-year-old Amber St. Clare manages, by using her wits, beauty, and courage, to climb to the highest position a woman could achieve in Restoration England—that of favorite mistress of the Merry Monarch, Charles II. From whores and highwaymen to courtiers and noblemen, from events such as the Great Plague and the Fire of London to the intimate passions of ordinary—and extraordinary—men and women, Amber experiences it all. But throughout her trials and escapades, she remains, in her heart, true to the one man she really loves, the one man she can never have. Frequently compared to Gone with the Wind, Forever Amber is the other great historical romance, outselling every other American novel of the 1940s—despite being banned in Boston for its sheer sexiness. A book to read and reread, this edition brings back to print an unforgettable romance and a timeless masterpiece.
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The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Sixteen-year-old Amber St. Clare runs off with a Cavalier and ends up alone in 1660s London. She survives debtor's prison, theaters, plague, and fire by climbing one bed at a time toward the king.
Yes. Forever Amber, published in 1944, was banned in 14 American states for sexual content and was the subject of a famous obscenity case in Massachusetts. The Catholic Church also condemned it. It was the best-selling American novel of the 1940s despite the bans.
Yes. A 1947 film adaptation directed by Otto Preminger and starring Linda Darnell was released. The film toned down the novel's sexuality significantly, leading to negative reactions from readers expecting the book's notoriety.
Forever Amber was written by Kathleen Winsor, published in 1944 by Corgi.
Forever Amber is 755 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Forever Amber takes most readers 11 to 16 hours to finish.
Forever Amber is a standalone novel by Kathleen Winsor, not part of a series.
Forever Amber is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
