A Strange, Sad Comedy

Name: A Strange, Sad Comedy
Author: Molly Elliot Seawell

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About This Book

The narrative follows an aging Virginia gentleman and his household as they preserve genteel manners amid postwar poverty, presenting domestic vignettes of courteous stubbornness, comic misunderstandings with occupying soldiers, and the loyal routines of servants. Years later the family scrapes together funds for a modest summer in Newport, where encounters with fashionable society expose awkward contrasts between Southern traditions and Northern leisure. Through gentle satire and poignant episodes, the work explores pride, quiet decline, and the persistence of decorum in a changing social world.

About the Author

Molly Elliot Seawell

Molly Elliot Seawell was an American author known for her diverse contributions to literature, including novels, children's stories, and historical narratives. Her works often reflect her interest in American history and society, as seen in titles like "A Virginia Cavalier" and "Despotism and Democracy: A Study in Washington Society and Politics." Seawell's storytelling is characterized by rich character development and vivid settings, appealing to both young readers and adults. She also wrote engaging tales of adventure and the sea, such as "Quarterdeck and Fok'sle: Stories of the Sea." Through her varied body of work, Seawell has left a notable mark on American literary heritage.

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