Arnold Bennett

The Old Wives' Tale is a novel written by Arnold Bennett and first published in 1908. The story follows the lives of two sisters, Constance and Sophia Baines, who grow up in the small town of Bursley in Staffordshire, England. The novel spans over fifty years, from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, and explores the themes of family, love, and the passage of time.Constance is the elder sister, who is responsible and practical, while Sophia is more impulsive and rebellious. The novel follows their separate paths as they both leave Bursley and start families of their own. Constance marries a draper named Samuel Povey and eventually takes over his business, while Sophia runs away to Paris with a traveling salesman named Gerald Scales.As the years pass, the sisters face various challenges and hardships, including World War I and the death of loved ones. The novel also explores the changing social and economic landscape of England during this time period, as well as the role of women in society.The Old Wives' Tale is considered a classic of English literature and is praised for its realistic portrayal of everyday life. It has been adapted for film, television, and stage, and remains a popular read for those interested in historical fiction and family sagas.This Is A New Release Of The Original 1908 Edition.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Rediscover Arnold Bennett's "Hugo: A Fantasia on Modern Themes," a sharp and witty satire of English society. This meticulously prepared print edition brings Bennett's humorous exploration of modern life to a new audience. As a master of English fiction, Bennett delivers a literary work that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. "Hugo" is a classic example of satirical fiction, offering a timeless commentary on human nature and societal foibles. Bennett's keen observations and playful narrative create a reading experience that is as relevant today as it was upon its original publication. Dive into this humorous and insightful novel and experience the enduring appeal of Bennett's storytelling. A perfect addition to any collection of literary fiction, "Hugo" promises to delight readers with its wit and charm.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Old Wives' Tale is a novel by Arnold Bennett, first published in 1908. It deals with the lives of two very different sisters, Constance and Sophia Baines, following their stories from their youth, working in their mother's draper's shop, into old age. It covers a period of about 70 years from roughly 1840 to 1905, and is set in Burslem and Paris. It is generally regarded as one of Bennett's finest works. Bennett was initially inspired to write the book by a chance encounter in a Parisian restaurant. In the introduction to the book, he says...an old woman came into the restaurant to dine. She was fat, shapeless, ugly, and grotesque. She had a ridiculous voice, and ridiculous gestures. It was easy to see that she lived alone, and that in the long lapse of years she had developed the kind of peculiarity which induces guffaws among the thoughtless.andI reflected, concerning the grotesque diner: "This woman was once young, slim, perhaps beautiful; certainly free from these ridiculous mannerisms. Very probably she is unconscious of her singularities. Her case is a tragedy. One ought to be able to make a heartrending novel out of the history of a woman such as she." Every stout, ageing woman is not grotesque--far from it --but there is an extreme pathos in the mere fact that every stout ageing woman was once a young girl with the unique charm of youth in her form and movements and in her mind. And the fact that the change from the young girl to the stout ageing woman is made up of an infinite number of infinitesimal changes, each unperceived by her, only intensifies the pathos.Bennett also found inspiration in Maupassant's novel Une Vie. (wikipedia.org)

Enoch Arnold Bennett was an English writer. He is best known as a novelist, but he also worked in other fields such as the theatre, journalism, propaganda and films.

Enoch Arnold Bennett was an English writer. He is best known as a novelist, but he also worked in other fields such as the theatre, journalism, propaganda and films.

The Old Wives' Tale tells the story of the Baines sisters shy, retiring Constance and defiant, romantic Sophia over the course of nearly half a century. Bennett traces the lives of the sisters from childhood in their father's drapery shop in provincial Bursley, England, during the mid-Victorian era, through their married lives, to the modern industrial age, when they are reunited as old women. The setting moves from the Five Towns of the Staffordshire Potteries to exotic and cosmopolitan Paris. It was fascinating to learn from Bennett's journal how he saw an old lady in a cafe and was inspired to think of how her life might have been lived, how she must have once been young. The plot of the novel came to him fairly promptly, and, as they say, the rest is history.

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 gestures. It was easy to see that she lived alone, and that in the long lapse of years she had developed the kind of peculiarity which induces guffaws among the thoughtless." and "I reflected, concerning the grotesque diner: "This woman was once young, slim, perhaps beautiful; certainly free from these ridiculous mannerisms.

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.

The Old Wives' Tale is a novel by Arnold Bennett, first published in 1908. It deals with the lives of two very different sisters, Constance and Sophia Baines, following their stories from their youth, working in their mother's draper's shop, into old age. It covers a period of about 70 years from roughly 1840 to 1905, and is set in Burslem and Paris. It is generally regarded as one of Bennett's finest works.The book is broken up into four parts. The first section, "Mrs Baines" details the adolescence of both Sophia and Constance, and their life in their father's shop and house (a combined property). 2] The father is ill and bedridden, and the main adult in their life is Mrs Baines, their mother. By the end of the first book, Sophia (whose name reflects her sophistication, as opposed to the constant Constance) has eloped with a travelling salesman. Constance meanwhile marries Mr Povey, who works in the shop. The second part, "Constance", details the life of Constance from that point forward up until the time she is reunited with her sister in old age. Her life, although outwardly prosaic, is nevertheless filled with personal incident, including the death of her husband, Mr Povey, and her concerns about the character and behaviour of her so The third part, "Sophia", carries forward the story of what happened to Sophia after her elopement. Abandoned by her husband in Paris, Sophia eventually becomes the owner of a successful pensione. The final part, "What Life Is", details how the two sisters are eventually reunited. Sophia returns to England and the house of her childhood, where Constance still lives.. Enoch Arnold Bennett (27 May 1867 - 27 March 1931) was an English writer. He is nowadays best known as a novelist, but he also worked in other fields such as the theatre, journalism, propaganda and film. Bennett was born in a modest house in Hanley in the Potteries district of Staffordshire. Hanley is one of a conurbation of six towns which were joined together at the beginning of the 20th century as Stoke-on-Trent. Enoch Bennett, his father, qualified as a solicitor in 1876, and the family moved to a larger house between Hanley and Burslem. 1] Bennett was educated locally in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Bennett was employed by his father but the working relationship failed. He found himself doing jobs such as rent-collecting which were uncongenial. Bennett also resented the low pay; it is no accident that the theme of parental miserliness is important in his novels. In his spare time he was able to do a little journalism, but his breakthrough as a writer came after he had moved from the Potteries. At the age of 21, he left his father's practice and went to London as a solicitor's clerk.......

‘There are few more moving accounts of the effects of time, the passage of history and the slow encroachment of age than this remarkable, epic novel’ Guardian Discover this powerful novel about the ordinary lives of the Baines sisters. The perfect next step for fans of Little Women. In The Old Wives' Tale, Arnold Bennett tells the story of two such old wives, sisters Constance and Sophia, from youth, through marriage, heartbreak, triumphs and disasters, to old age. In doing so, he reveals with careful compassion the intense inner lives that throb beneath every seemingly insignificant exterior. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY SATHNAM SANGHERA

Rediscover Arnold Bennett's "Hugo: A Fantasia on Modern Themes," a sharp and witty satire of English society. This meticulously prepared print edition brings Bennett's humorous exploration of modern life to a new audience. As a master of English fiction, Bennett delivers a literary work that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. "Hugo" is a classic example of satirical fiction, offering a timeless commentary on human nature and societal foibles. Bennett's keen observations and playful narrative create a reading experience that is as relevant today as it was upon its original publication. Dive into this humorous and insightful novel and experience the enduring appeal of Bennett's storytelling. A perfect addition to any collection of literary fiction, "Hugo" promises to delight readers with its wit and charm.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.