The Old Wives' Tale

The Old Wives' Tale is a novel written by Arnold Bennett, originally published in 1908. The story follows the lives of two sisters, Constance and Sophia Baines, who live in the fictional town of Bursley, England, during the mid-19th century. The novel spans over 50 years, chronicling the sisters' diverging paths as they navigate the challenges of love, marriage, motherhood, and aging.Constance is the elder sister, who marries a draper named Samuel Povey and settles into a comfortable but uneventful life. Sophia, on the other hand, is more adventurous and rebellious, eloping with a traveling salesman named Gerald Scales and eventually moving to Paris. As the years go by, the sisters experience different trials and tribulations, including the death of loved ones, financial struggles, and the upheavals of war.Despite their different paths, the sisters remain connected throughout their lives, with their relationship evolving and changing over time. The novel explores themes of family, duty, tradition, and the passage of time, offering a nuanced and insightful portrayal of two women's lives in Victorian England.The Old Wives' Tale is widely regarded as one of Bennett's greatest works, praised for its vivid characters, rich historical detail, and emotional depth. It is a timeless masterpiece of English literature that continues to resonate with readers today.1908. It is generally conceded by critics, and certainly it is staunchly maintained by hosts of readers, that Arnold Bennett�������s most notable literary achievement is The Old Wives������� Tale. This chronicle of the Five Towns and France during the Siege of Paris is a project of heroic proportions, accomplished with infinite skill, and of a scope that invites comparison with the greatest novels of the Victorian era. It is a tale of ordinary people during extraordinary times, told with an insight encountered only in the works of the masters of fiction. 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.