Lummox (Illustrated Edition‪)‬

Lummox tells the story of Bertha, a domestic worker whose life is shaped by service, misplaced trust, and an unbreakable longing for belonging. Moving between households and relationships, she gives more than she receives, yet continues to hope for warmth, love, and recognition.

Fannie Hurst’s novel is a quiet but powerful exploration of emotional dependence and social invisibility. Through Bertha’s experiences, the book examines how kindness can be exploited and how devotion can become a burden when it is never returned.

This illustrated edition brings visual depth to Hurst’s intimate narrative, pairing original artwork with a carefully edited text. A new foreword introduces modern readers to the novel’s themes of labor, dignity, and emotional survival, while a fresh author biography provides insight into Hurst’s literary and social influence.

Both moving and unsettling, Lummox remains a timeless portrait of the cost of loving too much in a world that rarely notices.