Tales from the Arabic

About the Book

Susan Clegg and Her Friend Mrs. Lathrop by Anne Warner is a classic work of American fiction originally published in Boston by Little, Brown, and Company in 1904. The book centers on Susan Clegg and her older next-door neighbor and close friend, Mrs. Lathrop. Their friendship provides the setting for a series of humorous stories about everyday life, relationships, family matters, marriage, and the social expectations of their time.

The volume contains five stories: “The Marrying of Susan Clegg,” “Miss Clegg's Adopted,” “Jathrop Lathrop's Cow,” “Susan Clegg's Cousin Marion,” and “The Minister's Vacation.” The first four originally appeared as separate stories in The Century Magazine and were revised for book publication, while “The Minister's Vacation” was newly added to the collection.

The Story and Its Characters

Susan Clegg and Mrs. Lathrop are portrayed as close neighbors whose contrasting personalities and conversations create much of the book's gentle humor. Susan's experiences and observations provide the basis for stories involving marriage, family relationships, friendship, and the ordinary complications of life. Rather than following one continuous plot, the book develops its characters and setting through a sequence of connected stories.

The original edition also featured a frontispiece, with illustrations associated with Walter J. Enright, while Amy M. Sacker is credited with the cover design in bibliographic records.

Who Is It For?

This book is suited to readers interested in classic American literature, early twentieth-century fiction, domestic comedy, women's writing, and historical portrayals of everyday social life. It is also relevant for readers exploring Anne Warner's Susan Clegg series and public-domain classic literature.

Key Features

Classic American fiction; early twentieth-century literature; domestic comedy; friendship and family relationships; marriage and social life; Susan Clegg and Mrs. Lathrop; five connected stories; Anne Warner; originally published in 1904

Product Details

Author: Anne Warner; Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company; Original Publication Year: 1904; Language: English; Genre: Fiction; Literary Type: Classic Literature; Original Edition: Boston, 1904; Format and page count: Edition-dependent

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