WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
The Billow and the Rock cover

The Billow and the Rock

By Harriet Martineau
Open in WeRead

About This Book

The narrative opens amid a society in upheaval where proud landowners exercise arbitrary power while public piety coexists with private violence. Against this backdrop a domestic drama unfolds: a woman who demands access to her children is repelled by family authority, sparking tensions and threats that reveal strained household hierarchies and fragile reputations. Scenes trace constrained childhood manners, the strategies used to contain a willful outsider, and efforts by others to manage her energy through diversion and building projects. The work explores social transition, gendered power, and the private consequences of public turbulence.

About the Author

Martineau, Harriet portrait

Harriet Martineau

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) was a pioneering English writer and social theorist, known for her contributions to sociology and political economy. She was one of the first female journalists and is often regarded as the mother of sociology. Martineau's works, including the notable "Illustrations of Political Economy," sought to make complex economic ideas accessible to the general public. Her writing encompassed a wide range of subjects, from social issues to education, and she was an advocate for women's rights and social reform. Martineau's insightful observations and analyses have left a lasting impact on both literature and social thought.

More Books by This Author

6 picks
Deerbrook cover Deerbrook by Harriet Martineau Feats on the Fiord cover Feats on the Fiord by Harriet Martineau Feats on the Fiord / The third book in "The Playfellow" cover Feats on the Fiord / The third book in "The Playfellow" by Harriet Martineau Five years of youth cover Five years of youth by Harriet Martineau Household Education cover Household Education by Harriet Martineau How to Observe: Morals and Manners cover How to Observe: Morals and Manners by Harriet Martineau