Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise

By David Graham Phillips

Book Overview

Even now I cannot realize that he is dead, and often in the city streets-on Fifth Avenue in particular-I find myself glancing ahead for a glimpse of the tall, boyish, familiar figure-experience once again a flash of the old happy expectancy. I have lived in many lands, and have known men. I never knew a finer man than Graham Phillips. His were the clearest, bluest, most honest eyes I ever saw-eyes that scorned untruth-eyes that penetrated all sham. In repose his handsome features were a trifle stern-and the magic of his smile was the more wonderful-such a sunny, youthful, engaging smile. His mere presence in a room was exhilarating. It seemed to freshen the very air with a keen sweetness almost pungent. He was tall, spare, leisurely, iron-strong; yet figure, features and bearing were delightfully boyish. Men liked him, women liked him when he liked them. He was the most honest man I ever knew, clean in mind, clean-cut in body, a little over-serious perhaps, except when among intimates; a little prone to hoist the burdens of the world on his young shoulders. His was a knightly mind; a paladin character. But he could unbend, and the memory of such hours with him-hours that can never be again-hurts more keenly than the memory of calmer and more sober moments. We agreed in many matters, he and I; in many we differed. To me it was a greater honor to differ in opinion with such a man than to find an entire synod of my own mind. Because-and of course this is the opinion of one man and worth no more than that-I have always thought that Graham Phillips was head and shoulders above us all in his profession.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1517659892
• ISBN13: 9781517659899
• Release Date: October 2015
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 624 Pages
• Weight: 2.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 7.4" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

View the Victorians without the rose-colored glasses

I read this book at least five years ago, if not longer, and the impression is still with me. We meet Susan as a young lady in a small, closed minded town in the "Western" state of Ohio, just past the turn of the century. (the last century.) She believes a young man that he has fallen in love with her and will run away with her to marry. This was viewed as a terrible scandal by the petty members of the community, "forcing" her guardians to find a farmer for her to marry; a dreadful creature. This is the beginning of her fall, and she falls and falls for some number of years following. She ecapes to a city- was in New York? and makes her way as a well brought up young woman forced to do so in a man's world. Men were essential to women for their livlihood, and a woman without reputation and introduction were cast adrift with dreadful housing, horrible food, terrible job prospects, if they can even be called a job. The gap between rich and poor was tremendous even then, and literally pennies were all that were needed to improve the lot of the "working poor", just as is the case now. The lot of the workers was easily improved, and it was tragic to see how callous the manufacturers were to the needs of their laborors. Susan, luckily, "rises" but has a talent and ability to develop it that so few have. That she had the opportunity at all was mere chance.