If Burke Denby had not been given all the frosted cakes and toy shotguns he wanted at the age of ten, it might not have been so difficult to convince him at the age of twenty that he did not want to marry Helen Barnet.
An edition of The road to understanding
(1917)
The road to understanding
by Eleanor Hodgman Porter
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This book was written just a few years before Eleanor's death. She was at the top of her form.
Eleanor dives into the minds of her characters to give us a sharper focus on the forces driving them. Thus we learn that Burke Denby decides to set aside the bothersome detail that they won't be living in the mansion BECAUSE Helen will find out soon enough anyway.
Meanwhile, Helen has been spinning marvelous fantasies of redecorating feats that her newly acquired father-in-law will appreciate. "I'll win him over easily."
Almost at the same time John Denby is reflecting on how hard it will be on Burke to start out on the ground floor and work his way up to the partnership Burke expects to be waiting for him after the honeymoon.
The stage is now set for watching two young lovers try to live on love and deal with their slaughtered dreams of peace and plenty.
Our author goes into great detail in describing the steps leading to financial ruin. Burke is determined that Helen learn how to keep an account of her money, but admits to himself that he can't do that either. His money disappears so fast it seems like someone is stealing it. It must be those 25 cent lunches that he splurges on when a perfectly good lunch can be had for 15 cents.
A decision must be made between love, or financial security. The table of contents below lets us see the direction this love affair is drifting.
CONTENTS
I. frosted cakes AND shotguns . . . . .1
II. An Only Son ......... 84
III. Honeymoon Days ........ 83
IV. Nest-Building ......... 43
V. The Wife .......... 81
VI. The Husband ......... 75
VII. Stumbling-Blocks ........ 82
VIII. Diverging Ways ........ 104
IX. A bottle of ink ........ 125
X. by advice of counsel ....... 155
XI. in quest OF THE stars ...... 173
XII. the trail OF THE ink ...... 182
Xin. A woman's won't . . . . . . . . 199
XIV. an understudy . . . . . . . . 210
XV. A woman's will . . . . ... .225
XVI. emergencies ......... 241
XVII. pink teas to flighty blondes .... 258
XVIII. A little bunch of diaries ..... 265
XIX. the stage is set . . . . . . . . 284
XX. the curtain RISES ........ 298
XXI. the play BEGINS ........ 802
XXII. actor AND audience . . . . . . . 314
XXIII. "the plot THICKENS" ....... 380
XXIV. COUNTER-PLOTS ......... 339
XXV. enigmas ........... 348
XXVI. the road to understanding ..... 357
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Book Details
First Sentence
"If Burke Denby had not been given all the frosted cakes and toy shotguns he wanted at the age of ten, it might not have been so difficult to convince him at the age of twenty that he did not want to marry Helen Barnet."
Edition Notes
Novel.
Filmed from a copy of the original publication held by the National Library of Canada. Ottawa : Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, 1997.
372, [1] p., [4] leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm.
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| August 13, 2020 | Edited by MARC Bot | remove fake subjects |
| August 27, 2011 | Edited by Lee Spencer | merge authors |
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