The Women Who Make Our Novels

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

65134

Title

The Women Who Make Our Novels

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Mary Heaton Vorse's 'The Prestons' offers a charming, observational portrait of domestic life through the eyes of a mother. With wit and fidelity, it explores family dynamics, youthful mischief, and social manners in early 20th-century America.

Summary up to 500 words

Mary Marvin Heaton Vorse's 1918 novel *The Prestons* offers a tender, intimate portrait of a family life that feels remarkably real and relatable. Narrated by Mrs. Preston, the story unfolds on a summer morning as she explores her home, introducing readers to its inhabitants one by one. The narrative begins with Piker, the family dog, described as a long, dachshund-like creature with sparse yellow bristles and a tail that sounds like a policeman's club when it taps the floor. Mrs. Preston moves through the house, noting the lemonade glasses left on the piazza and entering Seraphy's spotless kitchen. In the library, she discovers Jimmie's notebook, where he meticulously records his observations of guinea pigs, only to be gently corrected by his mother for believing that a single article could compress a year's worth of naturalist study. The narrative shifts to domestic concerns and character dynamics. Mrs. Preston reflects on her oldest son, Osborn, who is preparing for college, noting the cigar ashes left in the ashtray—a small detail that reveals his secret smoking habit despite her idealistic nature. Her sister, Maria, offers a philosophical perspective on parenting, advocating for "Nipping Things in the Bud" and "Taking Steps" to guide children away from bad habits. The tone lightens with humorous episodes involving Jimmie's interactions with neighbors. A particularly amusing incident involves a dispute over language usage between Mrs. Preston and Mrs. Baker regarding the word "abdomen" versus "belly." This linguistic disagreement escalates when local boys chant a derisive song mocking the family, leading to a chaotic aftermath involving locked bathroom doors and mysterious thefts of undergarments from neighbors' lines. Beyond these domestic vignettes, the novel addresses more serious themes through the character of young Osborn. The text highlights his first romantic attachment to an older woman, Miss Fairweather, presenting a chapter that readers should not laugh at but rather understand with empathy. Vorse's work is praised for its breadth of understanding and fidelity of reporting, placing it alongside the best of Booth Tarkington and William Dean Howells. Through accurate observation and truthful reporting, *The Prestons* captures the complexities of family life, balancing humor with genuine emotion, making the characters feel like an extension of the reader's own experience.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Biography