The Harvester

Gene Stratton-Porter

Summary

A man at one with nature finds himself enchanted by a vision in this classic Midwestern romance from the naturalist and author of The Keeper of the Bees.   David Langston, the Harvester, allows his dog to decide his fate every year—to join the money-making scramble in the noise and grime of the city, or continue harvesting the goldenseal, mullein, and ginseng in the woods around their country home. Every year, his dog Bel chooses correctly—for they are both creatures of the woods.   But this year, there is another matter to ponder. Should Langston remain alone—or should he go courting? There are pros and cons of course—mostly cons—that bang around in Langston’s mind. That is, until he sees a ghostly vision near the lake, a slender dark-haired woman wrapped in robes of white, lovelier than any he has ever seen in his twenty-six years. And then one day he sees her crying in the woods. Ruth Jameson is a girl caught in a bad situation, and Langston finds himself willing to do anything to help her and make her every wish come true.  Praise for the writing of Gene Stratton-Porter   “As famous in the early 1900s as J.K. Rowling is now . . . Her natural settings, wholesome themes and strong lead characters fulfilled the public’s desires to connect with nature and give children positive role models.” —Smithsonian Magazine   “Her narrative is entertaining, her enthusiasm catching.” —The New York Times

Available since: 03/28/2023.

Print length: 512 pages.

Other books that might interest you

They Were Sisters

Dorothy Whipple

When three sisters marry very different men, the choices they make determine whether they will flourish, be tamed or be repressed. Set in 1930’s middle-class England, the classic domestic drama, They Were Sisters, is a compelling but harrowing novel by Dorothy Whipple. Meet three women with contrasting partners: Lucy's husband is her beloved companion; Vera's husband bores her and she turns elsewhere; and Charlotte's husband is a horrifying bully who turns a high-spirited naive young girl into a deeply unhappy woman. This is the story of how those marriages shape the sister’s lives, the consequences of their decisions, and the sisterly love that hopes to save them from tragedy.They Were Sisters is part of the Persephone Audiobook Collection, a series of forgotten classics that includes neglected fiction and non-fiction by women writers. This audiobook of a novel first published in 1943 breathes new life into Whipple's work; with a fascinating introduction by novelist Celia Brayfield.

Show book

The Poisoned Pen

Arthur B. Reeve

"The Poisoned Pen" by Arthur B. Reeve is a detective novel that likely originated in the early 20th century. The story follows Craig Kennedy, a brilliant professor and detective, who is called to investigate a high-profile poisoning case involving a young actress named Vera Lytton. As he delves deeper into the mystery, Kennedy teams up with his companion, Walter Jameson, to uncover the intricate web of deceit and motives surrounding Lytton's tragic death, exploring themes of conspiracy and justice. 
At the beginning of the novel, Kennedy and Jameson are hastily preparing to travel to the small town of Danbridge, which is currently embroiled in a scandal due to the poisoning of Vera Lytton. They discuss the shocking details of her case, including the involvement of various characters, such as the young doctor, Dr. Dixon, who is considered a suspect, and the potential conspiracy against him orchestrated by others. 
As they gather information from local authorities and witnesses, Kennedy demonstrates his keen deductive skills while contemplating the implications of a mysterious note linked to Dr. Dixon that was found near the victim. The opening sets the stage for an intricate narrative full of twists, revealing the social dynamics and manipulative backgrounds that could lead to such a heinous crime.

Show book

Great Gatsby The: The Original...

F. Scott Fitzgerald

"The Great Gatsby" is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. 
The novel was inspired by a youthful romance Fitzgerald had with socialite Ginevra King, and the riotous parties he attended on Long Island's North Shore in 1922. Following a move to the French Riviera, Fitzgerald completed a rough draft of the novel in 1924. He submitted it to editor Maxwell Perkins, who persuaded Fitzgerald to revise the work over the following winter. After making revisions, Fitzgerald was satisfied with the text, but remained ambivalent about the book's title and considered several alternatives. Painter Francis Cugat's cover art greatly impressed Fitzgerald, and he incorporated aspects of it into the novel. 
After its publication by Scribner's in April 1925, The Great Gatsby received generally favorable reviews, though some literary critics believed it did not equal Fitzgerald's previous efforts. Compared to his earlier novels, Gatsby was a commercial disappointment, selling fewer than 20,000 copies by October, and Fitzgerald's hopes of a monetary windfall from the novel were unrealized. When the author died in 1940, he believed himself to be a failure and his work forgotten.

Show book

The Deerslayer

Anonymous

"A man's character is forged in the silence of the forest and the heat of his first battle."

Before he was the "Pathfinder" or "Hawkeye," he was simply Deerslayer—a young man who had never raised a rifle against a human being. On the shores of the crystal-clear Lake Glimmerglass, Natty Bumppo joins his Mohican brother Chingachgook on a perilous mission to rescue a kidnapped maiden. But the wilderness is fraught with danger: the ruthless Thomas Hutter defends his floating "Muskrat Castle" against Huron war parties, and Natty must navigate a world where the line between "civilized" and "savage" is blurred. This is the story of how a hunter became a warrior and a legend was born.

The Education of a Frontiersman: The Deerslayer is a profound meditation on honor and the "white man's gifts" versus "red man's gifts." We witness Natty's first lethal encounter—a pivotal moment of psychological transition—where he earns his first warrior name from a dying foe. It is a masterpiece of moral complexity disguised as a high-stakes adventure.

A World in Conflict: The novel captures the breathtaking beauty of the pre-Revolutionary American landscape while exposing the brutal realities of colonial expansion. Through the characters of the beautiful Judith Hutter and the simple-minded Hetty, Cooper explores themes of vanity, faith, and the tragic consequences of frontier violence.

The Foundation of an Epic: This is where the greatest friendship in American literature begins. The bond between Natty and Chingachgook is established here in its purest form—a partnership built on mutual respect, shared danger, and an unbreakable code of the woods.

Experience the dawn of the frontier. Purchase "The Deerslayer" today and walk the path of the legend.

Show book

The Last September

Elizabeth Bowen

The Last September is set in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence in the early 1920s, a time of political turmoil and social change. The story focuses on the Fall of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, symbolized through the life of 18-year-old Lois Farquar, who is living with her aunt and uncle at their country estate, Danielstown.

Lois's coming-of-age is intertwined with the unraveling of the societal structures around her, as the tension between the Anglo-Irish gentry and the Irish nationalists intensifies. The novel explores themes of political conflict, personal disillusionment, and the complexities of love, loyalty, and identity. Lois is caught in a world of fading privileges, societal expectations, and uncertain allegiances, while also navigating her own desires, relationships, and the shifting nature of her identity.

Through Bowen's rich, atmospheric prose, The Last September portrays the personal and cultural upheaval of the period, highlighting the impact of historical change on individual lives. The novel paints a vivid picture of a world in transition, as characters struggle with the forces of history, the loss of old certainties, and the inevitability of change.

Show book

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

This new audiobook edition of Hemingway's classic is narrated by Audie Award nominee and AudioFile Golden Voice Kevin R. Free.  
It is a moving and beautiful book. —Percy Hutchison in the The New York Times Book Review, 1929  
Hemingway’s rhythmic, stripped-down, often-mimicked style lulls readers into a sort of trance that allows his final line to explode like a tossed grenade, devastating in its simplicity. —Valerie Trapp in The Atlantic, in their list of The Great American Novels  
Frederic Henry is an American lieutenant of an ambulance corps serving in the Italian front of World War I. During his service he meets Catherine Barkley, an English nurse who goes on to work closely with him.  
As the relationship between Frederic and Catherine develops, the novel follows the effects the war has on them and those around them. But the war is not the centerpiece of the book; rather, it serves more as a background and plot device for the growth of the characters’ interpersonal relationships.  
A Farewell to Arms went on to become his first bestseller, with contemporary critics calling it “the premier American war novel from World War I.” It cemented his reputation as a powerful voice of the Lost Generation, and modern critics consider it among his best works.

Show book