The Conquest of Canaan

The Conquest of Canaan is a novel written by Booth Tarkington, first published in 1905. The story is set in the small town of Canaan, Indiana, and follows the life of a young man named Frank Shallard, who returns to his hometown after graduating from college. Frank is determined to make a name for himself and become successful, but he quickly learns that the town is controlled by a corrupt political machine led by the wealthy and powerful banker, J. W. Truesdale.Despite the challenges he faces, Frank is determined to make a difference and begins to work for the local newspaper, where he uncovers the corruption and deceit that runs rampant in Canaan. Along the way, he falls in love with a beautiful young woman named Lila, who is the daughter of one of Truesdale's closest allies.As Frank becomes more involved in the town's politics, he finds himself in the middle of a bitter conflict between Truesdale and his opponents, including the fiery and charismatic preacher, Reverend William Soames. Frank must navigate the treacherous waters of Canaan's political landscape while trying to win the heart of the woman he loves and expose the corruption that threatens to destroy the town.The Conquest of Canaan is a timeless tale of love, ambition, and political intrigue that explores the complex relationships between power, money, and morality. Tarkington's vivid descriptions of small-town life and his nuanced portrayal of his characters make this novel a classic of American literature.1905. Although his first book was about English romance, Newton Booth Tarkington, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams, came to be known for his comical (and almost cynical) style of the Lost Generation that characterized the 1920's. The Conquest of Canaan begins: A dry snow had fallen steadily throughout the still night, so that when a cold upper wind cleared the sky gloriously in the morning the incongruous Indiana town shone in white harmony-roof, ledge, and earth as evenly covered as by moonlight. There was no thaw; only where the line of factories followed the big bend of the frozen river, their distant chimneys like exclamation points on a blank page, was there a first threat against the supreme whiteness. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.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.