George Gissing: 139 books

A cultivated poor young woman Emily Hood from a small town in the north of England works as a governess in a wealthy country family. She falls in love with her employer's son, Wilfrid Athel, and the two are engaged. However, during a visit to her parents' home, she is confronted by her father's employer, Dagworthy, who threatens to expose her father as a thief unless Emily marries him.

Eve's Ransom is the story of a mechanical draughtsman named Maurice Hilliard, who comes into some money, which enables him to live without working. As part of his resulting travels, he meets and falls in love with Eve Madeley, a book keeper.

Harvey Rolfe lives quietly on his modest inheritance at the fringe of London’s social and commercial life, but tumultuous events bring Alma Frothingham into his orbit. Their contentment doesn’t last long. Harvey’s inability to see Alma as merely selfish rather than an emancipated “new woman,” turns this story into a tale of a marriage poisoned by sexual jealousy and deceit.

Denzil Quarrier, a successful, active man, becomes a candidate for Parliament, and, in the moment of triumph, is stricken by the treachery of his best friend, the meaningless treachery of a clever, bored man.

Alma's farther looses fortunes at his bank and commits suicide forcing his 20 years old daughter to go abroad to make plans and pursue her career. Two admirers follow her: Cyrus Redgrave a wealthy bachelor who makes an indecent proposal and Harvey Rolfe whom she ends up marrying.

Godwin Peak, is a star student at Whitelaw College. He wins many academic prizes and his future seems promising. Then his Cockney uncle arrives intending to open an eating-house adjacent to the college. Godwin is mortified of being associated with 'trade' and leaves the college rather than face the scorn he expects to receive from his upper-class fellow students.

Miriam Baske, a young widow, freed from the constraints of making a living, leaves behind the grey stone chapels and flinty hearts of Lancashire for the sun and artistic splendour of Italy. She meets a host of her countrymen vacationing and occupying themselves with travel, art, philosophy, romance, and improving their health.

Michael Snowdon inherits a substantial sum of money from his deceased son and decides to return from Australia to London. He spends only on necessities and lives like a poor man despite being able to live comfortably. His fortune is kept a secret even from his close friends and relatives.

Milvain, one of the two central characters of the novel is a modern young man driven by pure financial ambition in navigating his literary career. He accepts that he will always despise the people he writes for, networks within the appropriate social circle to create opportunity, and authors articles...

‘Schrijven _ was dat niet de vreugde en het voorrecht van iemand die een dringende boodschap voor de wereld had?’ verzucht een van de personages in New Grub Street, de opzienbarende roman van George Gissing. Een boek uit 1891, maar angstaanjagend actueel. Een onthutsende verkenning van de literatuur...

George Gissings novel New Grub Street, first published in 1891, was one of the best-sellers of the Victorian era. The novel contrasts high-minded artists with those who forsake art for material gain. The work also has autobiographical elements: the protagonist struggles for recognition and respect in face of growing depravity.