The Sturdy Oak: A Composite Novel of American Politics by Fourteen American Authors

by Elizabeth Garver Jordan, Leroy Scott, Samuel Merwin

In 1917 fourteen American authors met and agreed to each write a chapter of a novel. The proceeds from the sale of this book were devoted to the Suffrage Cause. It is a very human story of American life and should appeal to all lovers of good fiction.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Feminism, Classics

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1917

About the author

Elizabeth Garver Jordan (May 9, 1865 – February 24, 1947) was an American journalist, author, editor, and suffragist, now remembered primarily for having edited the first two novels of Sinclair Lewis, and for her relationship with Henry James, especially for recruiting him to participate in the round-robin novel The Whole Family. She was editor of Harper's Bazaar from 1900 to 1913.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[sslyb · Rating 3 out of 5]

14 chapters, 14 different authors telling the tale of a small town coming round to supporting universal sufferage. The book was produced for the 1917 campaign season. All proceeds from the sale went to support of the Sufferage Cause.

[Peter]

"Oh George, I think I meant women when I said 'we.' George, I'm afraid I'm a suffragist."

Amusing satire, a bit heavyhanded.

The Sturdy Oak is a 'composite' novel; it was written by fourteen different authors, round-robin style, each one taking a chapter. Not all of these writers stand on equal footing, unfortunately, and they range from quite skillful (Kathleen Norris) to annoyingly bad (Harry Leon Wilson). Uneven though it may be, it succeeds in sculpting interesting characters (even if only by the end of the novel), and plotwise, it even throws in some unexpected flourishes to finish strong despite its shaky start.

I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the women's suffrage movement from a historical or cultural perspective. As entertainment: a mixed bag, but it has its moments.

[Samantha Glasser]

Read this book online for free through Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8435/8...

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for my "Getting Out the Vote: US Suffrage Literature" class.

[Emily Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a funny, sort of silly feminist mish-mash of chapters following a story of the feminist conversion of a district attorney candidate and his wife. There were some particularly insightful and clever bits, especially in the first half.

[Melissa]

It was actually Miss Blakes husband that I read but its not listed on here.