Pulitzer Prize Fiction Winner
Early Autumn
by Louis Bromfield
Summary
The novel depicts the decay of a traditional New England family stuck in the rigid social standards of the past. It focuses on Olivia Pentland's struggle to break free from the suffocating traditions of her husband's family.
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Historical Context & Significance
Bromfield was a "celebrity farmer" and socialite who lived in France; his win reflected the 1920s fascination with the decline of the "Old Guard" Puritan elite.