Silas Lapham goes from rags to riches, and his ensuing moral susceptibility is the center of this tale. Silas earns a fortune in the paint business, but lacks social standards, a failure which he attempts to remedy through his daughter's marriage to the scion of the aristocratic Corey family.

The classic novel about an ordinary man's ascent into wealthy Boston circles, and its effect on him and his family.Thanks to hard work and good fortune, Silas Lapham succeeds financially in the paint business. But money and class are not the same thing, and the Laphams struggle to feel they truly fit in amid New England's social aristocracy.When they move into a luxurious home in the elite Back Bay neighborhood, they soon have a young patrician in their liv...

Mr. Howells has in the present volume given his writings the form of a series of historical stories, in which his native State is described and pictured from as remote a period as the geologic ice age. The slow-moving glaciers in the distant past covered most of the present State of Ohio. They rounded off the corners of her hills, smoothed the contour of her valleys, left glacial scratches on her rocks, and transported boulders from remote points where they had an origin and left them on t...

William Dean Howells' "A Counterfeit Presentment; and, The Parlour Car" offers a nuanced exploration of American society at the turn of the century, deftly interweaving themes of authenticity and artificiality. Howells employs a realist literary style, characterized by its attention to detail and focus on everyday life, to scrutinize the aspirations and identities of his characters. In this two-part work, the first story delves into the moral dilemmas faced by characters ensnared in societ...

Near the verge of a bold promontory stands the hotel, and looks southeastward over a sweep of sea unbroken to the horizon. Behind it stretches the vast forest, which after two hundred years has resumed the sterile coast wrested from it by the first Pilgri

William Dean Howells, a prominent figure in American literary realism, presents readers with a captivating collection of stories in 'The Venetian Trilogy'. This compilation includes 'A Foregone Conclusion', 'Ragged Lady', and 'The Lady of the Aroostook', each filled with intricate character development and detailed settings that transport readers to the charming streets of Venice. Howells' writing style is characterized by its vivid descriptions and insightful social commentary, making thi...

In those walks of ours I believe he did most of the talking, and from his talk then and at other times there remains to me an impression of his growing conservatism. I had in fact come into his life when it had spent its impulse towards positive reform, and I was to be witness of its increasing tendency towards the negative sort.

William Dean Howells (1837-1920) was an American realist author and literary critic. He wrote his first novel, Their Wedding Journey, in 1871, but his literary reputation really took off with the realist novel A Modern Instance, published in 1882, which describes the decay of a marriage. His 1885 novel The Rise of Silas Lapham is perhaps his best known, describing the rise and fall of an American entrepreneur in the paint business. His social views were also strongly reflected in the novel...

The story revolves around Lemuel Barker, a young man who is placed under the guidance and mentorship of a minister. Lemuel becomes the minister's apprentice and learns from his experiences, trials, and moral teachings. The novel explores themes of moral development, the pursuit of one's calling, and the challenges of finding one's place in society.William Dean Howells was known for his realistic portrayals of American life and his exploration of social and moral themes. "The Minister's Cha...

William Dean Howells' 'A Pair of Patient Lovers' is a poignant exploration of unrequited love, set against the backdrop of 19th-century New England. The novel captivates readers with its nuanced characters and intricate plot, revealing Howells' keen observational skills and masterful storytelling. The author's realistic and naturalistic style reflects his literary context as a prominent figure in the American realism movement, known for his portrayals of ordinary life and social issues. 'A...

The Elevator by William Dean Howells is a short story that explores themes of class, social expectations, and human interaction through a seemingly simple yet meaningful encounter. The plot centers around a man who, after a long day, enters an elevator in a building and finds himself sharing the small, enclosed space with a woman. The story focuses on the brief but revealing conversation between them, which starts as a polite, almost trivial exchange but gradually unveils deeper societal a...

In "Literary Boston as I Knew It," William Dean Howells offers a captivating window into the intellectual and cultural milieu of Boston during the late 19th century. Through a series of engaging vignettes, Howells explores the lives and contributions of contemporary literary figures, capturing the essence of the city's vibrant literary community. His prose is characterized by its rich detail and conversational tone, revealing both admiration and critical insight into the prevailing literar...