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The Garden Lodge
When Caroline Noble's friends learned that Raymond d'Esquerre was to spend a month at her place on the Sound before he sailed to fill his engagement for the London opera season, they considered it another striking instance of the perversity of things. That the month was May, and the most mild and florescent of all the blue-and-white Mays the middle coast had known in years, but added to their sense of wrong. D'Esquerre, they learned, was ensconced in the lodge in the apple orchard, just beyond Caroline's glorious garden, and report went that at almost any hour the sound of the tenor's voice and of Caroline's crashing accompaniment could be heard floating through the open windows, out among the snowy apple boughs. The Sound, steel-blue and dotted with white sails, was splendidly seen from the windows of the lodge.
- GenresShort StoriesClassics
26 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2013
57 people want to read
About the author
Willa Cather
948 books2,814 followersWilella Sibert Cather was born in Back Creek Valley (Gore), Virginia, in December 7, 1873.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 9, 2016
Not all of Willa Cather's stories are about the prairies of Nebraska. She wrote several with musical themes; she was especially fond of Wagner's music, and it is featured in this story. Caroline Noble is ask one morning by her husband if they should tear down their garden lodge and build a new summer house in it's place. Being a practical, no nonsense kind of person, she knows they should, but she has a memory associated with the garden lodge, a beautiful memory of time spent there with her friend, famous tenor Raymond d'Esquerre, rehearsing a Warner opera he has to perform. Is there an affection for him tied to the lodge? Will the nostalgia and memories rule her decision, or will her practical side make the choice? A simple premise for a story, but Cather's inimitable style brings it beautifully to life and shows us again why she was such a great writer.
October 4, 2024
I read this last night and typical of Cather, the writing is beautiful. I will have to read this again, that won’t be a hardship, there are worse ways to spend an hour. I was caught up with the writing and feel I missed a full understanding of Caroline’s character. Is her life happy, sad, or merely content? One thing comes across strongly. To the outside world she is a no-nonsense strong willed person. But is that the real Caroline or a public persona.
An easy recommendation
An easy recommendation
September 3, 2019
There was a nice melody in the storytelling but I was able to see only glimpses of it (perhaps I was not enough focus on listening) so, in the end, I didn't enjoy it much.
August 6, 2021
The Garden Lodge is written beautifully. Cather chooses each word carefully and gives each of her stories a beautiful insight into the stories of the lives of her characters. Often I feel that I need to reread as I may have missed the intended messages. This one is quiet and lovely, but doesn't seem to send a message of moral. And, that makes me question myself. I would love to know the message Cather had hoped to convey. Caroline is certainly a unique and no-nonsense woman for 1905, and I am beginning to understand the author's feminist leanings. But I wondered about her contentment with life, especially with her final choice regarding her husband's desire to tear down and rebuild the guest home.
He is jealous. She is willing to accept that... I think.
He is jealous. She is willing to accept that... I think.
May 18, 2024
✶⋆.˚꩜ .ᐟ˙⋆✶ book review 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ name ⟡ ✶⋆.˚꩜ .ᐟ˙⋆✶
rating ⋆⤷ 3.85/5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ "Thou art the spring for which I sighed in Winter's cold embraces."
⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ This rating is subject to change, as I feel like I didn't understand this enough to truly rate it. The prose is absolutely gorgeous, the setting and atmosphere is absolutely dreamy, giving a very nature-oriented vibe. This book seems to be about, at least in my opinon, how women can get trapped under the pressure of becoming a successful, calculated, no-nonsense character in order to protect themselves from the pain that comes with showing emotion; however emotions/desires can not truly be beat until they are looked in the fact, admitted, acknowledged. I don't think anyone truly knows what this was meant to be about, though. I think this was a love letter to women who feel the pressure to break the cycle, to be successful, and are never satisfied. That's me, so! I enjoyed it. It has a certain melody and flow that's nearly hypnotic - so I enjoyed reading it.
⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ The husband is basically a prop in this story, he does not seem too important, lol. This read confusingly and either has no plot, or a very vaguely executed one. I think this is meant to be given your own interpretation, purposely ambiguous, however.
⋆⭒˚.⋆𝜗𝜚 tags/themes spring, springtime, womanhood, women, love, classic, 1900s.
rating ⋆⤷ 3.85/5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ "Thou art the spring for which I sighed in Winter's cold embraces."
⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ This rating is subject to change, as I feel like I didn't understand this enough to truly rate it. The prose is absolutely gorgeous, the setting and atmosphere is absolutely dreamy, giving a very nature-oriented vibe. This book seems to be about, at least in my opinon, how women can get trapped under the pressure of becoming a successful, calculated, no-nonsense character in order to protect themselves from the pain that comes with showing emotion; however emotions/desires can not truly be beat until they are looked in the fact, admitted, acknowledged. I don't think anyone truly knows what this was meant to be about, though. I think this was a love letter to women who feel the pressure to break the cycle, to be successful, and are never satisfied. That's me, so! I enjoyed it. It has a certain melody and flow that's nearly hypnotic - so I enjoyed reading it.
⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ The husband is basically a prop in this story, he does not seem too important, lol. This read confusingly and either has no plot, or a very vaguely executed one. I think this is meant to be given your own interpretation, purposely ambiguous, however.
⋆⭒˚.⋆𝜗𝜚 tags/themes spring, springtime, womanhood, women, love, classic, 1900s.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2024
This is a very bittersweet story. Caroline has risen above her beginnings– through discipline and hard work she has achieved a certain status that others, who knew her origins, might have found unlikely.
Ever since Caroline could remember, the law in the house had been a sort of mystic worship of things distant, intangible and unattainable. The family had lived in successive ebullitions of generous enthusiasm, in talk of masters and masterpieces, only to come down to the cold facts in the case; to boiled mutton and to the necessity of turning the dining-room carpet. All these emotional pyrotechnics had ended in petty jealousies, in neglected duties, and in cowardly fear of the little grocer on the corner.
She is now married to money and playing hostess to a world-famous tenor, D’Esquerre, and his presence has stirred something in her that she has kept long-buried. As with so many Cather stories, this is one of self-revelation.
There were two things she feared even more than poverty: the part of one that sets up an idol and the part of one that bows down and worships it.
Reading this tale made me want to read all the stories in the collection–so another book to add to the TBR.
Thank you to Bob, for suggesting this one.
Ever since Caroline could remember, the law in the house had been a sort of mystic worship of things distant, intangible and unattainable. The family had lived in successive ebullitions of generous enthusiasm, in talk of masters and masterpieces, only to come down to the cold facts in the case; to boiled mutton and to the necessity of turning the dining-room carpet. All these emotional pyrotechnics had ended in petty jealousies, in neglected duties, and in cowardly fear of the little grocer on the corner.
She is now married to money and playing hostess to a world-famous tenor, D’Esquerre, and his presence has stirred something in her that she has kept long-buried. As with so many Cather stories, this is one of self-revelation.
There were two things she feared even more than poverty: the part of one that sets up an idol and the part of one that bows down and worships it.
Reading this tale made me want to read all the stories in the collection–so another book to add to the TBR.
Thank you to Bob, for suggesting this one.
December 18, 2020
This is the second short story I have read by Cather, and just when I thought I might be able to like her, after disliking 'On The Divide', she throws out this little bon mot; she describes women with doctoral degrees as 'withered' and 'bespectacled'. I'm thinking that women who were able to get doctoral degrees, especially in the early 1900's deserve a modicum of respect, as do women today. That said, this should have been a throw away line, but in a story that can be read in a half hour, there are no throw away lines.
Carolyn Noble is the responsible member growing up in a flighty, artistic, family. She inherited a musical talent, but what she wants is security. Carolyn is no Charlotte Lucas Collins, even though she has married a well off widower. After a short friendship with a world famous opera singer whose popularity seems to be the equivalent of someone like Rudolph Valentino, she has a quiet existential crisis of short duration.
The story is worth checking out as Carolyn is an interesting character and Cather is certainly a good writer. C/D, narrated by Chris McGasson. Originally published in 1905 in The Troll Garden.
Carolyn Noble is the responsible member growing up in a flighty, artistic, family. She inherited a musical talent, but what she wants is security. Carolyn is no Charlotte Lucas Collins, even though she has married a well off widower. After a short friendship with a world famous opera singer whose popularity seems to be the equivalent of someone like Rudolph Valentino, she has a quiet existential crisis of short duration.
The story is worth checking out as Carolyn is an interesting character and Cather is certainly a good writer. C/D, narrated by Chris McGasson. Originally published in 1905 in The Troll Garden.
October 19, 2024
The blurb on Hoopla for this story is quite explicit, wrongly, because the story itself is not explicit at all. Of the two I prefer the blurb.
In the overwrought literary style common to the time Willa Cather writes concentric circles around a target she never hits. Deliberately, I’m sure, but I prefer more direct communication. Why make the reader do the work of imagining the missing part of the story?
In the overwrought literary style common to the time Willa Cather writes concentric circles around a target she never hits. Deliberately, I’m sure, but I prefer more direct communication. Why make the reader do the work of imagining the missing part of the story?
July 23, 2025
Good short story that reflects the sacrifices that many women made, opting to marry instead.
November 25, 2016
This has been on my to-read list so long that I don't even remember why I put it there to start with. It wasn't a bad little story, especially considering that I've just begun reading and enjoying short stories again. I liked best the portrayal and feel of atmosphere as Caroline sought to balance practicality with passion.
August 11, 2019
This was a superb story, and I've arranged my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:
"Turmoil does not mean,
Just because the floodgates break,
That things have to change."
"Turmoil does not mean,
Just because the floodgates break,
That things have to change."
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews