Status
Call number
Call number
Collection
Publication
Description
New York Times Bestseller: The quest for the American Dream soars to new heights in this coming-of-age story of a young woman and her country. Living with her aunt in poor, rural Preston, Pennsylvania, thirteen-year-old Ellen Watson loves books and music and is completely oblivious to her own beauty. But her extraordinary looks arouse envy and malice in the female townspeople--and lust in the males. Hired as a housemaid in the palatial home of the village mayor, Ellen soon catches the attention of his son, Jeremy Porter, who captures her heart in turn. He offers to send her to school, and four years later he proposes marriage. As the years pass, Ellen's life parallels the hopes, dreams, and fears of a no-longer innocent nation. As America's enemies gather, Ellen must face her own demons. The wife of the scion of a powerful political family, she has everything she could ever desire: security, children, and a successful, adoring husband. But when tragedy rips her life apart, Ellen will be forced to confront some terrible truths about her marriage, her family, and herself. Played out against the backdrop of early twentieth-century America, Ceremony of the Innocent intertwines Ellen's personal journey with America's emergence from the devastation of World War I. It raises vital questions, such as: Are we as good as we believe we are? And is faith enough to keep us moving forward even in the face of unimaginable loss?… (more)
Original publication date
Similar in this library
User reviews
In Ceremony of the Innocent, Caldwell displays insight into the ways of the world, with a well-told story about love, the marriage agenda of males and females, and tragedy. The theme of the book is how the American people have been lied to and launched into foreign wars, with many dying for the banking cartels and so-called "conservatives" who play games with the people. She writes of the betrayals by cartels of oligarchs. The grand plans for corporatist monopoly are covered in this one book, eloquently. Taylor Caldwell truly is one of the great writers. You will recognize America today, including the role of the Murdock/Ailes media and right-wing distraction radio.
Writing is amazing though. I read it in it's entirely in one day.