Tales of the Five Towns

"Tales of the Five Towns" by Arnold Bennett is a collection of short stories set in the early 20th century that explores the lives and characters of the inhabitants of the fictional industrial town of Bursley in the Five Towns area of Staffordshire, England. The narratives often delve into the themes of social status, romance, and the nuanced relationships between the townsfolk. The stories in this collection, such as "His Worship the Goosedriver" and "The Elixir of Youth," introduce characters like Josiah Curtenty, the Deputy-Mayor who finds himself in humorous and precarious situations. The opening of "Tales of the Five Towns" introduces readers to the bustling town atmosphere during the holiday season. It features Mr. Josiah Curtenty and Mr. Gordon, who share a mutual affection for the same woman and navigate local society's intricacies. As they leave a pub, Curtenty whimsically engages a gloomy gooseherd, leading to an impulsive purchase of geese, which sets off a series of comedic misadventures. The narrative builds a vivid picture of small-town life, characterized by camaraderie, competition, and a touch of the absurd, and hints at deeper themes of ambition and societal expectation that will likely unfold in subsequent stories. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Enoch Arnold Bennett was an English author, best known as a novelist, who wrote prolifically. Between the 1890s and the 1930s he completed 34 novels, seven volumes of short stories, 13 plays, and a daily journal totalling more than a million words. He wrote articles and stories for more than 100 newspapers and periodicals, worked in and briefly ran the Ministry of Information during the First World War, and wrote for the cinema in the 1920s. Sales of his books were substantial, and he was the most financially successful British author of his day.