Catalog Search Results
This stirring coming-of-age story recounts the childhood and youth of the eponymous protagonist, Hilda Lessways, who would eventually grow up to marry Edwin Clayhanger, the scion of a wealthy and powerful family in the Potteries district of the Midlands region in England. This is the second in a series of novels that depict the lives of the members of the Clayhanger family.
Regarded as one of Arnold Bennett's finest works, The Old Wives' Tale was first published in 1908. It tells the story of sisters Constance and Sophia Baines, both very different from one another, and follows their lives from youth into old age. Bennett's inspiration was an encounter in a Parisian restaurant: "an old woman came into the restaurant to dine. She was fat, shapeless, ugly, and grotesque. She had a ridiculous voice, and ridiculous
...What happens when a man who has everything falls desperately in love with a lowly shopgirl? That's the conundrum at the center of Arnold Bennett's novel Hugo. The eponymous protagonist is a titan of industry who is used to living a life of luxury and getting everything he wants—until Camilla rebuffs his advances. Throw in some creepy elements of Gothic horror, and it's an all-around engaging read.
4) These Twain
The third book in his sweeping Clayhanger Family series, These Twain recounts the courtship and marriage of Hilda Lessways and Edwin Clayhanger. It's a nuanced, complex depiction of the ups and downs of long-term intimate relationships, focusing on the ways that marriage can both help and hurt people, often at the same time.
This fascinating novel from author Arnold Bennett gives readers a glimpse into gender roles and social classes at the dawn of the twentieth century. Switching between the perspectives of two distinctly different narrators, The Pretty Lady is a closely observed portrait of a turbulent time.
Audrey's youth has been a privileged one, but the thing she wants more than anything else—freedom—has remained out of her reach. When her father succumbs to an accident, she decides to seize the day and make the most of her sudden shift in circumstances. But will her wonderment with the wider world cloud her judgment?
Part of his multi-generational epic, the Clayhanger Family series, Arnold Bennett's novel The Roll-Call focuses on one of the youngest members of the family, George Cannon. Despite his forebears' hard work, George is spoiled and entitled, and his increasingly demanding manner puts a strain on the family as it struggles to make it through the war.
Author and journalist Arnold Bennett was born in the Potteries district of Staffordshire in England's West Midlands area. So named because of its long-time association with pottery and ceramics production, the Potteries communities exerted a strong influence on Bennett's literary career. Many of his novels, including the action-packed The Card, are set in and around the area.
Like many of Arnold Bennett's works of fiction, the comic novel Denry the Audacious is set among the quaint village lanes of the Potteries District of Staffordshire. It is amidst this humble environment that the one-of-a-kind character Edward Henry Machin emerges from poverty and, largely through the force of his own indomitable will, achieves a measure of power and influence.
10) Leonora
Though originally published more than a century ago, Arnold Bennett's novel Leonora is brimming with nuanced insights about the true nature of marriage that still resonate today. The eponymous heroine is the wife of a prominent and wealthy manufacturing titan who enjoys the trappings of his success. But when a figure from his past reappears, Leonora begins to question everything she once believed to be true about her husband and their relationship.
...Settle in for a deliciously transporting read. Arnold Bennett's The Price of Love follows the ups and downs of one Rachel Louisa Fleckring, whose disastrous foray into married life leaves her damaged and distrustful. What's more, a large sum of money that has been entrusted to Rachel winds up missing along the way. How can she put the pieces of her once-promising life back together?
What would you do if your money-grubbing father decided to marry you off to someone you loathed, against your express wishes? That's precisely the dilemma facing virtuous Anna Tellwright in Arnold Bennett's juicy potboiler Anna of the Five Towns. Will Anna muster up the courage to defy her father's wishes and make her own way in the world?
13) Lilian
In this gripping novel from British author Arnold Bennett, a pretty young typist yearns for adventure and excitement. When her odious employer attempts to seduce her with flattery and promises of a luxurious life together, Lilian takes the plunge. Will she be able to extract herself from his control and regain the content, normal life she once disdained?
British writer Arnold Bennett rose to literary prominence as a chronicler of life in the quiet, low-key villages of the Potteries district of Staffordshire. In The Ghost, Bennett applies his skill with detailed description, memorable characters and emotional subtlety to a love story with strong elements of the supernatural.
Arnold Bennett's The Grand Babylon Hotel, from 1902, tells the story of a German prince mysteriously disappearing. American millionaire Theodore Racksole and his daughter Nella stay at the exclusive Grand Babylon Hotel. When Nella is denied her dinner order of steak and Bass beer, Racksole's solution is to purchase the entire hotel for exactly four hundred thousand pounds and one guinea, the one guinea added after the former owner decides
...This engaging tale of a passionate love affair marked a sharp departure in the literary career of author Arnold Bennett, one which piqued the interest of fans and elicited the ire of some critics. Sacred and Profane Love follows the evolution of a lifelong bond between Carlotta and Diaz, beginning with their first encounter and ending with a final reunion years later. It's a fascinating glimpse into the sparks that can fly when two creative
...British author Arnold Bennett returns to his native stomping grounds—the Potteries district of England's West Midlands region—with this collection of insightful, darkly witty stories about the denizens of the fictionalized "Five Towns." From love gone wrong to mischief and misadventure, these sharply drawn tales run the gamut.
British author Arnold Bennett's most acclaimed and enduring works are a series of novels set around the Potteries district of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, his native region. This volume of short stories delves further into the lives of the residents of the fictional "Five Towns" that Bennett explores in novels like Anna of the Five Towns and Clayhanger.
19) Mr. Prohack
Arthur Prohack is a bureaucrat who relishes carrying out his duties with precision and accuracy. His exceedingly high expectations have earned him grudging respect—and a measure of fear—from his colleagues and underlings. When Prohack unexpectedly receives a windfall, his comfortable middle-class existence is turned upside down. Will he be able to adjust to his new status?
Author Arnold Bennett spent his early life in the Potteries district of England, an area known for its cluster of ceramics manufacturing facilities. In this charming volume of short stories, Bennett offers readers a glimpse into the lives, loves, and misadventures of the residents of the fictionalized version of the region that he christened the "Five Towns."
Didn't find it?
Can't find what you are looking for? Try our Materials Request Service. Submit Request