User:Hmbihn/sandbox

= The Galaxy, (aka The Milky Way) by Susan Ertz =

About the Author
Susan Ertz was born on Feb 13, 1887 in England by American parents. She moved back and forth between the countries, but settled in England at 18 years old.

The Galaxy (published as The Milky Way in England), published by D. Appleton & Co, quickly rose in popularity, as a second print was ordered before the publication date due to advance orders. There were 40,000 copies on the first print.

Historical Context of Publication Year 1929
Published in the summer of 1929, The Galaxy arrived just before economic disasters in United States and England. Reviewer of the novel, William Lennox, reported that the novel portrayed the time (mid-to-late 1800s) well, even though she was a bit young to report the historical happenings of the time through first-hand experience. This, Lennox says, is permissible because the novel is more concerned with following the main character’s life.

Plot Summary
The Galaxy follows Laura Deverell, a girl born in 1862 to Harry and Rosa Deverell. Laura and her brother, James, both quickly grew tired of living with their parents at a young age. They thought their parents, especially their father, too religious and strict for their taste, and longed to leave.

After visiting an old freethinking tutor without permission, James was asked to leave their home, which he was happy to do, and left to live with the same tutor, Mr. John. Laura thinks about marriage seriously for the first time, in order to live apart from her parents. Soon after, Laura was invited to go to Scotland by her friend Olga; and before she leaves, she breaks her promise to her father and visits James. On her train to Scotland, she meets Horace Leighton, with whom she flirts, and for the first time feels like she can speak naturally. The two form a fast connection. At the end of their two weeks at the Dunochty Hall, Mr. Leighton proposes rather scandalously in Laura’s bedroom, and Olga discovers them, but promises not to reveal their secret.

Laura writes to her father, telling him of the proposal, and soon arrives home afterward, where they discuss it at length. Mr. Leighton – Horace – stops in to ask permission, and Harry hesitates to give his blessing because Leighton is in trade, even though he is a gentleman of great wealth. Harry insists that Horace returns to political work rather than trade. Horace refuses, and a dramatic, unhappy scene ensues, and Harry forces Laura to leave as he did James. However, this time, Rosa intervenes and Harry lets Laura stay until she gets married, and says he will not be paying a settlement.

Horace and Laura do get married, but Laura's story has only just begun. The rest of the novel follows Laura’s life into her old age, which is filled moments of great joy and love and tremendous tragedy as she navigates married life, motherhood, and life as a grandmother.

Cultural Context
The book is set in mid-to-late 1800s, and has lots of talk of religion and the Freethinker movement. While the time is set some time ago, readers will find many similarities in the views of the world that we hear today, such as:"“The world isn’t the nice place to live in it used to be.” - Rosa""“The world seems to be going crazy,” he then said. “It’s all these horrible modern ideas'...""'Let them. There’ll be no electrical lamps in any house of mine while I’m alive.” - Harry""Excerpt From: Susan Ertz. “The Galaxy.”"""

1.    Lennox, William. 'The Fiction Rack this Week: Novel shows Fidelity to Reality rather than History: The Galaxy, by Susan Ertz; New York: D. Appleton & Co. Price $2.50', Women’s Wear Daily,1929, pp. 9.

2.    'Reading for Profit: Books at A Glance', Women’s Wear Daily, vol. 39/no. 37, (1929), pp. 12.

3.    Ertz, Susan, The Galaxy (D Appleton & Co 1929)