Showing results by author "Edna Ferber" in All Categories

An insightful story about a happily married woman who takes over her husband’s business upon his early death and creates a prospering business with seed capital from a childhood friend. She maintains her beliefs and avocations while doing the hard work of farming.

Discover the secrets to personal charm and influence with "Personality Plus" by Edna Ferber. This podcast explores the traits and habits that make individuals magnetic and engaging, offering practical advice for developing a compelling personality.

Dawn O’Hara, the Girl Who Laughed was Edna Ferber’s first novel. Dawn, a newspaperwoman working in New York, finds herself back home in Michigan on doctor’s orders. Years of living in boarding-houses and working to pay for the care of her brilliant but mentally ill husband, Peter Orme, have taken their toll. At twenty-eight, Dawn feels like an old woman with no future. But, the loving care of her sister Norah and her family along with the attentions of the handsome German doctor, Ernst Von Gerhard, slowly bring Dawn back to life. With Dr. Von Gerhard’s help, she obtains a newspaper job...

Join Emma McChesney, a clever and determined divorced mother, as she embarks on her journey across the Midwest as a sales representative for a prominent skirt and petticoat manufacturer. Her escapades—filled with humorous encounters with predatory salesmen and quirky hotel clerks—are both hilarious and heartfelt. Emma excels in her field, often outshining even the most polished male competitors, all while balancing her dedication to her work and her seventeen-year-old son, Jock. Through her experiences, she learns the importance of sticking to what she knows best roast beef, medium, rather...

Gigolo is a captivating collection of short stories by Edna Ferber, the celebrated author of classics like Show Boat and So Big, for which she won the Pulitzer Prize. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Midwest—from Illinois to Oklahoma—these narratives explore the lives of diverse characters, from a spirited young auto mechanic to a woman embracing her newfound identity at sixty. Ferbers stories are imbued with the strength of women navigating and triumphing over challenging circumstances. In her poignant tale, The Sudden Sixties, she muses, “Having made the worst of it, you made ...

First published in 1926, Show Boat weaves the rich tapestry of the Hawks-Ravenal family across three generations and the enchanting Cotton Blossom Floating Palace Theatre as it journeys along the Mississippi River and beyond. Spanning the Reconstruction Era of the 1880s to the vibrant Gilded Age and Roaring Twenties, this timeless tale has captivated audiences through its adaptation into a Broadway musical in 1927 and various film versions, including both a silent film and a partial talkie in 1929. Please note, the narrative contains themes of race, particularly anti-Black stereotypes and ...

Experience the enchanting world of Edna Ferber in Dancing Girls, a captivating collection featuring four exceptional short stories penned for magazines between 1910 and 1919. Ferbers masterful storytelling weaves together poignant themes of real-life characters, joy, sadness, and humor. The titular story, Dancing Girls, stands out as a personal favorite, beautifully illustrating the intricacies of small-town life in mid-America and the serendipitous connections that bring good people together. Alongside this gem, youll find other delightful tales such as Old Lady Mandel, Long Distance, and One...

Have you ever encountered a heroine who defies the traditional notions of beauty? In Edna Ferbers captivating storytelling, we meet just such a character in the first of four enchanting short stories that showcase the remarkable courage and faith of ordinary people—individuals like you and me. Ferber, celebrated for her works like Show Boat and Giant, invites us to explore our own vulnerabilities and the complexities of love, where sometimes the prince doesnt end up with the right princess. The collection also includes A Bush League Hero, What She Wore, and The Man Who Came Back, each rich ...

Dive into the captivating conclusion of Edna Ferbers trilogy featuring the sharp-witted, stylish, and fiercely independent Emma McChesney. Transitioning from a stenographer to a successful business owner, Emma has proven herself time and again in the male-dominated world of commerce. In this final volume, set against the backdrop of 1915, Emmas son Jock has moved to Chicago with his new wife, prompting Emma to embark on a bold venture selling in South America. As she navigates romance, business challenges, and personal growth, Emma embodies the ideal woman of the early twentieth century ...

In Edna Ferbers debut novel, Dawn O’Hara, the Girl Who Laughed, we meet Dawn, a weary newspaperwoman from New York who finds herself back in her Michigan hometown on the advice of her doctor. After years of living in boarding houses and supporting her brilliant yet mentally ill husband, Peter Orme, Dawn feels like a shadow of her former self at just twenty-eight. With the loving support of her sister Norah and the charming attentions of the handsome German doctor, Ernst Von Gerhard, she begins to reclaim her zest for life. Securing a newspaper job in Milwaukee opens the door to new ...

Fanny Herself tells the captivating story of Fanny Brandeis, a spirited young girl navigating the challenges of coming of age in the Midwest at the turn of the 20th century. This novel is widely believed to draw from the rich experiences of its author, Edna Ferber, who grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin. Celebrated as one of the greatest American woman novelists of her time, Ferber earned the Pulitzer Prize in 1925 for her acclaimed work, So Big. She is also known for her masterpieces Showboat and Cimarron, both of which have seen successful adaptations for stage and screen. (summary by J. M. ...

Dive into the poignant story of Selina DeJong and her son, affectionately known as So Big. Following the tragic loss of her husband, Selina bravely takes on the challenge of raising So Big alone while also managing the family farm in rural Illinois. As So Big matures, he ventures into the bustling streets of 1920s Chicago, enticed by the allure of the high-stakes stock-broker lifestyle. Torn between his desire for wealth and the traditional values instilled by his mother—and the expectations of his love interest, an aspiring artist—So Big grapples with the conflict between ambition and ...

The Girls is the story of three spinsters living in Chicago—an aunt, her niece, and her niece’s niece. The aunt has memories of the Civil War, and all three women have adjusted to the outbreak of the First World War. Generational changes, particularly in regard to romantic attachments, are a central feature of the book, which is also a fascinating portrait of the Chicago lifestyle of the time. The emerging political and social power of women is also a significant feature of the story.

In the whimsical world of fairy tales, we often hear the phrase, they lived happily ever after. But what happens after the story ends? Once the enchantment fades and the glass slippers become worn, does the Prince ever find himself needing to remind Cinderella about her messy kitchen or her grammar? And after Puss in Boots has secured wealth and a bride for his master, does that gentleman not sometimes feel frustrated when neighbors refuse to acknowledge his lovely wife, born of humble beginnings? Buttered Side Down dares to explore these unanswered questions, offering a refreshing twist on ...

The basis for the classic film starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, Saratoga Trunk is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edna Ferber's enthralling saga of love, greed, and power set in New Orleans and Saratoga during the late nineteenth century. Saratoga Trunk unfolds the story of Clio Dulaine...

The basis for the classic film starring James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rock Hudson, Giant is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edna Ferber's sweeping generational tale of power, love, cattle barons, and oil tycoons, set in Texas during the first half of the twentieth century. When...

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize ""A masterpiece."" — Literary Review ""A novel to read and to remember."" —New York Times Widely regarded as the masterwork of celebrated author and Algonquin Round Table mainstay Edna Ferber—who also penned other classics including Show Boat, Giant, Ice...