A Song of Sixpence by A. J. Cronin (1964)

A Song of Sixpence
by A. J. Cronin
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company
Copyright:  1964
Book Club Edition

A Song of Sixpence has the warmth and unassuming honesty of his earlier works, Hatter's Castle, The Stars Look Down and The Citadel, yet it shows his matured skill in the masterful portrayal of the engaging Laurence Carroll, who is, in many respects, Dr. Cronin himself.

Set in the beautiful western highlands of Scotland, the story revolves around the innocent youth whose very naivete is a target for the complex currents of his social surroundings -- the bigotry of the Scottish Protestants, the rigid class consciousness.  Laurie is an outsider.  The only child of a middle-class Catholic couple, he suffers the pangs of isolation in a staunchly Puritan town.

The young boy's fortress in the bittersweet days of youth is his sensitive and attractive mother, until the press of circumstances separates the two.  With his father's death Laurence finds himself launched onto a new phase of forced independence.  Into the story enters a cast of relatives who, willingly or out of a sense of obligation, take the boy into their lives.  There is the well-intentioned Bernard and his raucous family, the eccentric but kindly Miss Greville, and Uncle Leo, living like an ascetic but hoarding a fortune.  The longings of adolescence, triggered by the dashing image of his cousin Terence and the provocative but unpredictable Nora, are also woven into the thematic scheme.  The boy's unsophistication leads him through a comedy of errors which is his undoing, yet which saves him ultimately from a lamentable existence in the aisles of Leo's warehouse.

A Song of Sixpence, enriched by Cronin's vivid childhood memories, reaches toward the underlying truths of existence with a tender and sympathetic understanding of the marvel that is man.

Condition:  Used.  Hardcover.  Dust cover is discolored and shows wear, creasing and tears in the edges.  Spine of dust cover is darkened by sun exposure.  Pages are darkened by age.  Previous owner's name and date are written on the front endpaper.  Binding is beginning to split, but pages are so far in tact.

**************************

Don't Delay. Buy It Now!

Why Buy From Me?

* Shipping Speed Most people are extremely amazed at how fast I get their item delivered to them. I ship the same day you pay for your item, whenever possible.

• Strong Positive Feedback 100% positive feedback. Customers are overwhelmingly pleased with the quality of the item they receive, the accuracy of the item's description, the prompt and informative email notifications, and of course the speedy delivery.
  
  * Blujay Member Since 2005 I'm here to stay.
  
  * ID Verified My feedback profile also displays the ID Verified icon. An extra level of safety and security for buyers to know.
  
  * PayPal Buyer Protection All of my listings display the PayPal Buyer Protection icon to qualify for up to $1000.00 of protection for you, the buyer.