Simon Called Peter

"Simon Called Peter" by Robert Keable is a novel written during the early 20th century, specifically post-World War I. The narrative explores themes of love, morality, and the human experience in the context of the chaos and devastation brought on by war, particularly focusing on the contrast between the ideals of compassion and the grim realities faced by soldiers and clergy. At the center of the story is Peter Graham, an idealistic curate who finds himself compelled to serve as a chaplain during the war, and his romantic involvement with Hilda Lessing, whose views on war and duty collide with Peter's emerging sense of purpose. At the start of the novel, Peter is depicted walking through a beautiful London on a Sunday morning, though he is preoccupied with thoughts about an impending war, which serves as foreshadowing of the conflict that will develop throughout the story. He meets Hilda Lessing, who displays an air of privilege and uncertainty about the realities of war, juxtaposing Peter's growing urgency and sense of responsibility. As they discuss the possibility of war, Peter's concerns mount, while their conversation reveals tensions surrounding social expectations, love, and duty. The opening sets a poignant tone that encapsulates the struggle between personal desires and the harsh truths of a world at war, drawing readers in with its emotional depth and complex character dynamics. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Robert Keable was a British novelist, formerly a missionary and priest in the Church of England. He resigned his ministry following his experiences in the First World War and caused a scandal with his 1921 novel Simon Called Peter, the tale of a priest's wartime affair with a young nurse. The book sold 600,000 copies in the 1920s alone, was referenced in The Great Gatsby, and was cited in a double murder investigation. Fêted in the United States, but critically less than well-received, Keable moved to Tahiti where he continued to write, producing both novels and theological works, until his death at age 40 of kidney disease.