The Blithedale Romance

First published in 1852, "The Blithedale Romance" is the third of Nathaniel Hawthorne's romantic novels. Set in the utopian communal farm called Blithedale in the 1840's, the novel tells the story of four inhabitants of the commune: Hollingsworth, a misogynist philanthropist obsessed with turning Blithedale into a colony for the reformation of criminals; Zenobia, a passionate feminist; Priscilla, a mysterious lady with a hidden agenda who turns out to be Zenobia's half-sister; and Miles Coverdale, the protagonist and narrator of the story. The story concerns the relationships and friendships between the four at the commune, which starts out intensely during the spring and summer but as autumn approaches begins to disintegrate towards a tragic end. The characters are united at the beginning by their optimism and belief in a better, more equal and benevolent community. However, their lies, betrayals, jealousies and desires eventually break them apart and cast doubt on the success of the experimental Blithedale community. In the end, their human pettiness and flaws are their undoing. A classic of American literature, "The Blithedale Romance" is a compelling and nuanced narrative that Henry James called "the lightest, the brightest, the liveliest" of Hawthorne's dramatic novels. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

American author Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804, to May 19, 1864) wrote both novels and short stories. His works typically touch on history, religion, and morality. His family had a lengthy history in Salem, Massachusetts, where he was born in 1804. Hawthorne enrolled at Bowdoin College in 1821, was chosen for membership in Phi Beta Kappa in 1824, and received his diploma in 1825. Fanshawe, his debut novel, was published in 1828; he later tried to suppress it because he believed it fell short of the caliber of his later works. In magazines, he produced a number of short stories, which he later compiled as Twice-Told Tales in 1837. He proposed to Sophia Peabody the next year. Before getting married to Peabody in 1842, he joined the transcendentalist community of Brook Farm and worked at the Boston Custom House. The pair first settled in Concord, Massachusetts' The Old Manse before relocating to Salem, the Berkshires, and finally The Wayside. Following the release of The Scarlet Letter in 1850, a number of other novels followed. Prior to their 1860 return to Concord, Hawthorne and his family traveled to Europe as part of a political appointment as a consul. He passed away on May 19, 1864.