Secret Garden

Author: (American) Frances Hodgson Burnett
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: A cholera outbreak made Mary, a temperamental child, an orphan. She was sent to live with her distant uncle, Mr. Craven, in England. Mr. Craven, grieving the loss of his wife, became moody, eccentric, and reclusive. His estate housed over a hundred locked-up rooms, including a secret garden that was forbidden to enter for ten years. Mary accidentally discovered the key to the secret garden's main gate and also heard a mysterious crying sound, which drew her to explore the mysteries of the estate. With the help of Dickon, Mary brought life back to the desolate garden. Soon after, Colin, the young master of the estate, who was thought to be near death, also joined in. The power of nature changed everything. The ancient estate, long shrouded in gloom, and its master were also reborn. This is one of Burnett's best-selling works, which has been adapted into films, television, animations, plays, and stage productions more than ten times. Martha Norman's adapted musical won the Tony Award in 1991, with Daisy Egan, who played Mary, becoming the youngest Best Actress winner in Tony Award history. In 1993, "The Secret Garden" was again adapted into a film by the Polish film master Holland, earning him great reputation.