Looking in the Shadows: The Life of Alice Austen

Born in New York City in 1866, amateur photographer Alice Austen relishes life as she lives and works in Staten Island, New York. But when she meets Gertrude Tate, she finds a love she never thought possible. The two women live together for several decades, and neither is ever romantically linked to anyone else. Yet the true nature of their relationship is only hinted at in Alice's photographs. Looking in the Shadows tells the story of what is not visible in Alice's pictures-the love and devotion in Alice and Gertrude's hearts. Through letters and interior monologue, author Amy Khoudari reveals the women's devotion. In spite of class and custom obstacles, the couple's lifetime commitment to one another intimately shows their deep and lasting love. In time, Alice and Gertrude, two very middle-class women who had been members of New York's elite society, succumb to poverty and illness, and are ultimately forced to live apart. But their love endures, tying them to one another in spite of their physical separation. Touching and bittersweet, Looking in the Shadows reveals the power of a once-in-a-lifetime love that defied all convention.