Anna Sewell was a nineteenth-century English novelist whose literary legacy rests entirely on her single published work, Black Beauty. Born in Norfolk to a Quaker family, she moved to London as an infant. Her mother, Mary Wright Sewell, was a successful author of popular children's literature, which provided Anna with early exposure to the writing and publishing world. Sewell assisted her mother by editing her books and participating in various charitable endeavors.\n\nSewell's life was significantly shaped by chronic illness, which began in her youth and left her with severe physical limitations. Because of her health, she spent much of her life as an invalid, frequently visiting spa resorts in England and continental Europe in search of relief. She never married and remained with her parents throughout her life, living in Sussex, Gloucestershire, and Norfolk.\n\nWritten between 1871 and 1877, Black Beauty was composed during a period of declining health for Sewell. The novel, which advocates for the humane treatment of horses, was published in late 1877. Sewell lived just long enough to see the initial success of her book, passing away only a few months after its publication in April 1878. Her work remains one of the most enduring animal welfare novels in English literature.
