Set in the small Minnesota town of Harvester from the early 1900s through the 1940s, the novel follows Nell Stillman through marriage, widowhood, and raising her son Hilly, with the comic novels of P. G. Wodehouse serving as a recurring source of comfort and escape through her hardships.
A Gentleman of Leisure by P. G. Wodehouse: “Unwrapping the package, Nell held up three books —Mike, A Gentleman of Leisure, and The Prince and Betty.”
The Prince and Betty by P. G. Wodehouse: “Unwrapping the package, Nell held up three books —Mike, A Gentleman of Leisure, and The Prince and Betty.”
Mike by P. G. Wodehouse: “Unwrapping the package, Nell held up three books —Mike, A Gentleman of Leisure, and The Prince and Betty.”
The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann: “She thought of Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain, set in a tuberculosis sanatorium.”
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery: “A copy of Anne of Green Gables she'd found at Bender's Second Hand was her excuse.”
Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett: “Eudora had been reading aloud from Little Lord Fauntleroy.”
My Man Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: “I will order you a copy of My Man Jeeves, and hope that it brings you a little cheer.”
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: “Nell waited up, now reading Pride and Prejudice, a loan from Juliet Lundeen.”
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway: “She checked out A Farewell to Arms and began reading while her little girl was in the children's room.”
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott: “Nell set aside the colander of string beans and listened as he read to Hilly from Eight Cousins.”
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling: “On his next visit, Larry brought one of his childhood books, the Just So Stories.”
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: “Nell opened the copy of Sense and Sensibility she'd come across in Bender's Second Hand.”
Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy: “She'd thought at first to bring Tess of the D'Urbervilles, but knew Thomas Hardy was too dark for her mood.”
The American by Henry James: “"I'm reading The American," she continued.”
The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse: “Picking up The Code of the Woosters, she settled into her armchair.”
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: “I recall you mentioned India because of The Jungle Book.”
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit: “He was reading The Railway Children, a book Juliet had given him.”
Love Among the Chickens by P. G. Wodehouse: “Nell spied a book on a high shelf titled Love Among the Chickens, by someone named P.”
Psmith in the City by P. G. Wodehouse: “Lark opened her Psmith in the City to the last page and read silently.”
Jill the Reckless by P. G. Wodehouse: “Nell sat reading Jill the Reckless by the light of the new floor lamp.”
The Man with Two Left Feet by P. G. Wodehouse: “Wodehouse's The Man With Two Left Feet, turning the pages to a favorite short story titled "The Mixer."”
Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather: “Eudora date-stamped Willa Cather's Shadows on the Rock and handed it across the library desk.”