Publisher's Synopsis
The House Behind The Cedars is a novel written by Charles W. Chesnutt, first published in 1900. The story is set in the post-Civil War South and follows the life of a young, light-skinned African American man named John Warwick. John is passing as white and has left his family behind to pursue a career as a lawyer in a nearby town. He falls in love with a young white woman named Rena Walden and they begin a secret relationship.As their relationship deepens, John is forced to confront the reality of his racial identity and the consequences of his deception. When Rena's brother discovers their relationship, John's true identity is revealed, and he is forced to flee the town. He returns to his hometown to find his family and confront the challenges of being a black man in the South.The House Behind The Cedars explores themes of race, identity, and the social constructs that shape our understanding of these concepts. Chesnutt's novel is a powerful commentary on the complexities of race relations in America and the challenges faced by those who attempt to navigate them. The House Behind The Cedars is a classic work of American literature and an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about race in America.""That, my dear Rowena, is my good friend and client, George Tryon, of North Carolina. If he had been a stranger, I should have said that he took a liberty; but as things stand, we ought to regard it as a compliment. The incident is quite in accord with the customs of chivalry. If George were but masked and you were veiled, we should have a romantic situation.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.