Books with author William D. Howells

The Rise of Silas Lapham is a realist novel by William Dean Howells published in 1885. The story follows the materialistic rise of Silas Lapham from rags to riches, and his ensuing moral susceptibility. Silas earns a fortune in the paint business, but he lacks social standards, which he tries to attain through his daughter's marriage into the aristocratic Corey family. Silas' morality does not fail him. He loses his money but makes the right moral decision when his partner proposes the unethical selling of the mills to English settlers.Howells is known to be the father of American realism, and a denouncer of the sentimental novel. The resolution of the love triangle of Irene Lapham, Tom Corey, and Penelope Lapham highlights Howells' rejection of the conventions of sentimental romantic novels as unrealistic and deceitful.

The Rise of Silas Lapham is a realist novel by William Dean Howells published in 1885. The story follows the materialistic rise of Silas Lapham from rags to riches, and his ensuing moral susceptibility. Silas earns a fortune in the paint business, but he lacks social standards, which he tries to attain through his daughter's marriage into the aristocratic Corey family. Silas's morality does not fail him. He loses his money but makes the right moral decision when his partner proposes the unethical selling of the mills to English settlers. Howells is known to be the father of American realism, and a denouncer of the sentimental novel. The love triangle of Irene Lapham, Tom Corey, and Penelope Lapham highlights Howells' views of sentimental novels as unrealistic and deceitful.

"Nothing he ever wrote can be more tender than the reminiscences of this year spent in a log cabin somewhere in Ohio." -Book News Monthly, 1894" Beside the perennial charm of Mr. Howells' style, it has the fascination inherent in all such self-revelation from a writer one knows and loves." - The Literary World, 1893In his 1893 book "My Year in a Log Cabin" William Dean Howells gives another fragment of his early life. The log-cabin was situated on the Miami River, and Mr. Howells' father went there to take charge of a saw-mill and grist-mill for his brothers, who intended to start a paper-mill. All this happened in 1850, and so Mr. Howells came to have some experience of all the interesting features of the nowforgotten frontier life, even then beginning to give way before advancing civilization.The incidents are commonplaces, the country pigs and geese, squirrel shooting, the feigned lameness by which mother quail and mother ducks divert harm from their young, imaginary ghosts, and imaginary Indians. Yet Mr. Howells' style is, as always, far from commonplace. His skillful telling gives these incidents the charm of art. No better evidence could be offered of the genuine sympathy, humor and pathos, with which he makes his most literal transcripts from life.About the author: William Dean Howells (1837 –1920) was an American realist novelist, literary critic, and playwright, nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters". He was particularly known for his tenure as editor of The Atlantic Monthly, as well as for his own prolific writings, including the Christmas story "Christmas Every Day" and the novels The Rise of Silas Lapham and A Traveler from Altruria.Other works by the author include: •Modern Italian Poets •Venetian Life •Italian Journeys •Suburban Sketches •Their Wedding Journey •A Chance Acquaintance •A Foregone Conclusion •A Day's Pleasure •The Parlor Car•A Counterfeit Presentment•Out of the Question •The Lady of The Aroostook •The Undiscovered Country•A Modern Instance•A Fearful Responsibility •Dr. Breen's Practice•A Day's Pleasure•Out of the Question•A Woman's Reason•The Sleeping Car•Niagara Revisited •Three Villages•The Register•Tuscan Cities•The Rise of Silas Lapham •A Sea-Change, or, Love's Stowaway•The Elevator: A Farce •Indian Summer •The Garroters•The Minister's Charge•Modern Italian Poets•April Hopes•A Sea-Change•The Mouse-Trap •Annie Kilburn•A Hazard of New Fortunes•The Shadow of a Dream•A Boy's Town•An Imperative Duty •The Quality of Mercy•The Albany Depot •A Little Swiss Sojourn •A Letter of Introduction•The World of Chance •The Unexpected Guest •My Year in a Log Cabin•Christmas Every Day•The Coast of Bohemia•Evening Dress•A Traveler from Altruria•My Literary Passions •Stops of Various Quills •A Parting and a Meeting•Impressions and Experiences •Stories of Ohio •The Landlord At Lion's Head •An Open-Eyed Conspiracy•A Previous Engagement•The Story of a Play•Ragged Lady•Their Silver Wedding Journey •An Indian Giver•Bride Roses•Literary Friends and Acquaintance

The Rise of Silas Lapham is a realist novel by William Dean Howells published in 1885. The story follows the materialistic rise of Silas Lapham from rags to riches, and his ensuing moral susceptibility. Silas earns a fortune in the paint business, but he lacks social standards, which he tries to attain through his daughter's marriage into the aristocratic Corey family. Silas' morality does not fail him. He loses his money but makes the right moral decision when his partner proposes the unethical selling of the mills to English settlers.Howells is known to be the father of American realism, and a denouncer of the sentimental novel. The resolution of the love triangle of Irene Lapham, Tom Corey, and Penelope Lapham highlights Howells' rejection of the conventions of sentimental romantic novels as unrealistic and deceitful.The novel begins with Silas Lapham being interviewed for a newspaper profile, during which he explains his financial success in the mineral paint business. The Lapham family is somewhat self-conscious in their sudden rise on the social ladder and often fumble in their attempts at following etiquette norms. They decide to build a new home in the fashionable Back Bay neighborhood, and Lapham spares no expense ensuring it is at the height of fashion.Tom Corey, a young man from a well-respected high-class family, shows an interest in the Lapham girls; Mr. and Mrs. Lapham assume he is attracted to Irene, the beautiful younger daughter. Corey joins the Lapham's paint business in an attempt to find his place in the world, rather than rely on the savings of his father, Bromfield Corey. When Tom Corey begins calling on the Laphams regularly, everyone assumes his interest in Irene has grown, and Irene takes a fancy to him. Corey, however, astounds both families by revealing his love for Penelope, the elder, more plain-looking, but more intelligent daughter who possesses an unusual sense of humor, a sophisticated literary passion, and a sensible but inquiring mind. Though Penelope has feelings for Tom Corey, she is held back by the romantic conventions of the era, not wanting to act on her love for fear of betraying her sister.

"The Rise of Silas Lapham" is William Dean Howells 1885 novel which tells the story of its title character, who inherits his father's paint business and subsequently makes a great deal of money. Silas moves his family from rural Vermont to Boston in order to try and improve his social position. The consequences of which are both humorous and tragic. A sharp contrast is drawn between 'new' and 'old' money by William Dean Howells in this classic work, for which he is best known.

There is rare fun and freshness in Mr. W. D. Howells's. 'Christmas Every Day, and Other Stories', a little volume charming for New Year or Thanksgiving. It is redolent, indeed, of all these, especially of November sweets, when turkey and cranberry sauce crown the board and pumpkin-pies smile saucily from its end. Mr. Howells shows in these tales an unexpected tenderness lurking in a corner of his capacious heart —-a tenderness for children under a veil of humor that is particularly attractive and also a grotesque yet merry fancy which cannot fail to delight them. What a delightful world is the child's world and how few there be that enter it! Mr. Howells ' touch is so light, so playful, so understanding, that it is a shame not to tickle childhood with it as this book does. The art of being-grand-père is as rare as the true moonstone. We won't spoil the feast by describing the bill-of fare, but happy infant that gets 'Christmas Every Day' like this.