The Landlord at Lion's Head — Complete

"The Landlord at Lion's Head" by William Dean Howells is a novel written during the late 19th century. The story revolves around Jeff Durgin, the complex and evolving character who represents a rustic New England type, as he interacts with summer visitors at a hotel near the picturesque Lion's Head mountain. The novel explores themes of rural life, personal aspirations, and the impact of the changing socio-economic landscape on traditional communities. The opening of the novel sets a reflective tone as Howells recounts the inspiration behind the story, stemming from his experiences in the summer of 1891. It introduces the majestic Lion's Head mountain and presents a world where the Durgin family manages a lonely farmhouse that caters to summer tourists. Through detailed descriptions of the family members, particularly Jeff and his mother, Mrs. Durgin, readers are given a glimpse into their lives filled with hardship and quiet strength. The narrative evolves to include interactions with summer visitors, showcasing the contrasts between rural life and urban experiences, laying the groundwork for character developments and themes that will be further explored throughout the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Dean Howells was an American realist novelist, literary critic, and playwright, nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters". He was particularly known for his tenure as editor of The Atlantic Monthly, as well as for the novels The Rise of Silas Lapham and A Traveler from Altruria, and the Christmas story "Christmas Every Day," which was adapted into a 1996 film of the same name.