Subject
Washington (D.C.) -- Fiction Books
Best books
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today
"The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today" by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel published in 1873. It follows a poor rural family's attempts to strike it rich by selling their vast Tennessee land, while their adopted daughter Laura becomes a Washington lobbyist seeking congressional support. Meanwhile, two young men pursue fortune through land speculation. The novel skewers the greed, materialism, and political corruption of post-Civil War America—so effectively that it named an entire era of American history.
Henry Adams
Democracy, an American novel
"Democracy, an American novel" by Henry Adams is a political novel published anonymously in 1880. Madeleine Lee, a wealthy New York widow seeking purpose, moves to Washington to understand political power. Her salon attracts influential men, including Senator Silas Ratcliffe, who courts her while pursuing his presidential ambitions. As Madeleine peers behind the curtain of American democracy, she discovers a world of corruption, pragmatism, and moral compromise that challenges her ideals about governance and forces her to choose between power and principle.
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age, Part 7.
"The Gilded Age, Part 7" by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel published in 1873. It exposes greed and corruption in post-Civil War America through intertwined stories of families chasing wealth through land speculation. A poor rural family attempts to sell their vast Tennessee acreage, while their adopted daughter Laura becomes a Washington lobbyist. Meanwhile, two young men pursue fortune through land surveying. The novel satirizes political corruption and social pretensions, ultimately giving an entire era its name.
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age, Part 6.
"The Gilded Age, Part 6." by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel first published in 1873. This collaborative work follows a poor rural family's attempts to gain wealth by selling their vast Tennessee landholdings. Their adopted daughter Laura becomes a Washington lobbyist, navigating a world of political corruption and social ambition. Meanwhile, two young men seek fortune through land speculation. The novel satirizes the greed, materialism, and political corruption of post-Civil War America—giving an entire era its enduring name.
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age, Part 2.
"The Gilded Age, Part 2." by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel published in 1873. The story follows a poor rural family's attempts to sell their vast Tennessee landholdings, focusing on their adopted daughter Laura, who becomes a Washington lobbyist seeking congressional support. Meanwhile, two young men pursue land speculation fortunes. This collaboration between Twain and Warner satirizes the greed, political corruption, and social pretensions of post-Civil War America, giving an entire era its enduring name.
Natalie Sumner Lincoln
The unseen ear
"The Unseen Ear" by Natalie Sumner Lincoln is a mystery novel written in the early 20th century. The story centers on a murder that takes place during an ordinary evening at the Hale residence, involving main characters Judith Richards and her husband, Major Joseph Richards, as well as the Hale family. As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that the apparent domestic tranquility is disrupted by the violent death of Austin Hale, leading to a tangled web of secrets and motives. At the start of the novel, the scene is set in the Hale household, where a man, later revealed to be Austin Hale, is found dead in the library after a mysterious disturbance. The narrative intricately weaves between characters, including Judith, who is enjoying a peaceful moment while a lurking figure examines a safe, suggesting that crime is present within the idyllic setting. The shocking discovery of the murder interrupts the calm, igniting a series of investigations and revealing emotional tensions as characters contend with their relationships and the implications of the crime. As Judith and her family grapple with this tragedy, it quickly becomes apparent that their lives are more intertwined with the incident than they realize.
Natalie Sumner Lincoln
The three strings
"The Three Strings" by Natalie Sumner Lincoln is a mystery novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Evelyn Preston, who experiences a shocking discovery of a dead man in her home—a mystery that becomes complicated by various interactions with her family, friends, and the authorities. The novel unfolds in a tightly woven narrative that invites readers to unravel the circumstances surrounding the dead man's identity and the events leading up to that fateful moment. At the start of the narrative, Evelyn returns home after a long journey, only to find that the house is devoid of servants and the air is thick with an unsettling quiet. After a series of mundane actions to settle in, she stumbles upon a dead man in the library, triggering panic and confusion. As Evelyn encounters the housekeeper, Dr. Hayden, and eventually the coroner, the gravity of the situation escalates. They soon realize that Evelyn may have inadvertently been part of an unfolding mystery that entwines several key characters, including Dan Maynard and her step-father, Peter Burnham, each with their own secrets, creating a rich backdrop for exploration of motives and relationships.
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age, Part 5.
"The Gilded Age, Part 5" by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel published in 1873. This collaboration exposes greed and political corruption in post-Civil War America through the story of a struggling rural family attempting to profit from a vast land inheritance. As the beautiful adopted daughter Laura navigates Washington society as a lobbyist, and ambitious young men pursue fortune through land speculation, the novel reveals how the thirst for wealth and power corrupts every level of society—ultimately giving this notorious era its enduring name.
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age, Part 1.
"The Gilded Age, Part 1." by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel published in 1873. It follows a rural family's desperate attempts to strike it rich by selling their vast Tennessee landholdings in post-Civil War America. Their adopted daughter Laura becomes a Washington lobbyist, navigating a world of corrupt politicians and social climbers. Meanwhile, two young men pursue their own fortunes through land speculation. The novel satirizes the greed, materialism, and political corruption that would define an entire era of American history.
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age, Part 4.
"The Gilded Age, Part 4." by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel first published in 1873. Set in post-Civil War America, this collaboration skewers greed and political corruption through the story of the Hawkins family's quest for wealth through land speculation. At the center is Laura Hawkins, who becomes a Washington lobbyist, and two young men seeking fortune through land investment. With memorable characters like the eternally optimistic Colonel Beriah Sellers, the novel exposes the moral decay beneath America's glittering surface—giving an entire era its lasting name.
Mark Twain
The Gilded Age, Part 3.
"The Gilded Age, Part 3." by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel published in 1873. It follows a poor rural family's attempts to gain wealth by selling their vast land holdings, while their adopted daughter Laura becomes a Washington lobbyist seeking congressional support. A parallel story tracks two young men pursuing fortune through land speculation. The novel satirizes the greed, corruption, and social pretensions of post-Civil War America, ultimately giving this entire era of American history its enduring name.
Foxcroft Davis
The Whirl: A Romance of Washington Society
"The Whirl: A Romance of Washington Society" by Foxcroft Davis is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story centers on Sir Percy Carlyon, the new First Secretary of the British Embassy in Washington, who is navigating both his diplomatic career and his complex feelings towards American society, particularly American women. The narrative begins with his reflections during a solitary winter walk, hinting at his ambitions and the romantic entanglements that may arise in his new position. The opening of the novel establishes Sir Percy as a self-reflective character, filled with hopes and regrets, particularly concerning his past infatuation with Alicia Vernon, the daughter of General Talbott. He grapples with his disdain for American women while acknowledging their allure, as he prepares to attend his first ball at the Embassy. Here, readers are introduced to a lively depiction of Washington society, where he encounters a variety of characters, including the charming Lucy Armytage, who captures his attention despite his initial resolves. The narrative sets the stage for themes of ambition, ill-fated romances, and cultural clashes as Sir Percy becomes further entangled in both the political and social whirl of American life.
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