The Call of the Town: A Tale of Literary Life

"The Call of the Town: A Tale of Literary Life" by J. A. Hammerton is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story centers around young Henry Charles, the ambitious son of a village postmaster, Edward John Charles, who harbors dreams of literary success. The narrative begins with Henry's aspirations for education and his subsequent departure from their quaint village to the bustling literary world of Stratford and beyond. The opening of the book introduces us to Hampton Bagot, a picturesque but unremarkable village where the proud postmaster Edward John watches over his son, who is settling into a love for literature against the backdrop of their simple life. Edward John is a man of ordinary stature but extraordinary hopes for his intellect. When a chance encounter and encouragement by a local vicar leads to Henry being given an opportunity at a second-hand bookstore in Stratford, the stage is set for the boy to pursue his literary ambitions. However, he quickly realizes that the world of literature may not be as glamorous as he had imagined, leading to a more nuanced exploration of ambition and opportunity as he begins his journey into journalism. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sir John Alexander Hammerton is described by the Dictionary of National Biography as "the most successful creator of large-scale works of reference that Britain has known".