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Cover of The Warden by Anthony Trollope

The Warden

  • 255 pages · about 4 hours
  • First published 1855
  • 336 editions
  • Free to read

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1 About this book

The Chronicles of Barsetshire, Book 1: The Warden.

The tranquil atmosphere of the cathedral town of Barchester is shattered when a scandal breaks concerning the financial affairs of a Church-run almshouse for elderly men. In the ensuing furore, Septimus Harding, the almshouse's well-meaning warden, finds himself pitted against his daughter's suitor Dr John Bold, a zealous local reformer. Matters are not improved when Harding's abrasive son-in law, Archdeacon Grantly, leaps into the fray to defend him against a campaign Bold begins in the national press. An affectionate and wittily satirical view of the workings of the Church of England, The Warden, the first of the Barchester Chronicles, is also a subtle exploration of the rights and wrongs of moral crusades and, in its account of Harding's intensely felt personal drama, a moving depiction of the private impact of public affairs.

Good for readers who want: a classic, satire, and a book they can read free online.

  • Classics
  • Satire
  • Domestic fiction
  • Manners and customs
  • Social life and customs
  • Clergy
  • Geology
  • England

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3 About Anthony Trollope

1815–1882

Anthony Trollope ( TROL-əp; 24 April 1815 – 6 December 1882) was an English novelist and civil servant of the Victorian era. Among the best-known of his 47 novels are two series of six novels each collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire and the Palliser novels, as well as The Way We Live Now. His novels address political, social, and gender issues and other topical matters.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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