Behind Glass: A Biography of Dorothy Tiffany Burlingham

Behind Glass is the arresting story of Dorothy Tiffany Burlingham's life as written by her grandson, Michael John Burlingham. Born in 1891, Dorothy Tiffany was the last child in the long line of the famous Tiffany dynasty. As was expected of the young heiress, Dorothy Tiffany married a wealthy member of the American plutocracy, Dr. Robert Burlingham. But the lackluster life of wealthy young women in the nineteenth century held little appeal for Dorothy Burlingham and, leaving behind her socially prominent husband, she took her children and moved to Europe, where she underwent psychoanalysis with Sigmund Freud. Dorothy and her children were to become patients of his and Anna Freud's, their houseguests, and intimate friends, developing a unique and storied extended family relationship that remains fascinating for its depth and complexity. Dorothy's quest for fulfillment and a rich inner life ultimately had tragic consequences for those who were dearest to her as she embarked on a path that ultimately led to their downfall.

Michael John Burlingham beautifully incorporates factual detail with family narrative in a manner that highlights the poignant and personal challenges faced by women as the Victorian era gave way to the post-Freudian modern world. This book is a brilliant account of a truly luminous historical figure.