Publisher's Synopsis
Kennedy Square is a novel by F. Hopkinson Smith that was first published in 1911. The story takes place in Newport, Rhode Island, and follows the lives of a group of wealthy socialites who are vacationing in the area. The central character is a young woman named Betty Trevor, who is trying to navigate the complex social hierarchy of the town and find her place among the wealthy elite.Betty is aided in her quest by a group of friends, including the charming and dashing Jack Dysart, who is also vying for her affections. The novel explores themes of love, class, and social status, as well as the changing attitudes of American society in the early 20th century.As the story unfolds, Betty and Jack become embroiled in a scandal involving a stolen necklace, which threatens to ruin their reputations and their chances at happiness. Ultimately, however, they are able to overcome the obstacles in their path and find true love.Kennedy Square is a classic work of American literature that offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of the wealthy and privileged during the Gilded Age. With its vivid descriptions of Newport society and its engaging characters, this novel is sure to captivate readers of all ages.1911. Smith had several careers: engineer, artist, illustrator and short story writer. His success in engineering included planning the foundations for the Statue of Liberty. He traveled frequently to Europe and became known for his portraits and illustration. Smith was an entertaining after-dinner storyteller and in his fifties he decided to commit his stories to paper and is remembered for his Colonel Carter novels. The book begins: On the precise day on which this story opens-some sixty or more years ago, to be exact-a bullet-headed, merry-eyed, mahogany-colored young darky stood on the top step of an old-fashioned, high-stoop house, craning his head up and down and across Kennedy Square in the effort to get the first glimpse of his master, St. George Wilmot Temple, attorney and counsellor-at-law, who was expected home from a ducking trip down the bay. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.