Project Gutenberg 2003-12-01 Public domain in the USA. 162 Jackson, Helen Hunt 1830 1885 Hunt, Helen Maria Fiske Holm, Saxe Jackson, H. H. (Helen Hunt) Jackson, Helen Maria Fiske Hunt Mercy Philbrick's Choice Produced by Distributed Proofreaders "Mercy Philbrick's Choice" by Helen Hunt Jackson is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story centers around the lives of two women, Mercy Philbrick and her elderly mother, as they embark on a new chapter in life by relocating to a small New England town, confronting personal struggles and societal expectations. Through their journey, the novel explores themes of identity, resilience, and the search for beauty amidst adversity. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Stephen White, a young man struggling with the drabness of his life and his unpopularity within his New England community. His narrative intertwines with that of Mercy Philbrick, who arrives in the town with her mother after leaving their old life behind. The striking opening scene sets a somber tone, highlighting Stephen's deep-seated aversion to ugliness and his yearning for beauty, both in his surroundings and in his relationships. As Mercy and her mother settle into their home, Stephen's interest in Mercy grows, revealing a complex dynamic that hints at potential connections, conflicts, and transformations as they navigate their paths in this new environment. The opening establishes a blend of introspective character development and rich atmospheric details, suggesting a thoughtful exploration of human connections shaped by circumstance and longing. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 78.6 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Man-woman relationships -- Fiction New England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction Women poets, American -- 19th century -- Fiction PS Text Category: Novels Category: American Literature 472774 2025-08-05T03:51:44.370586 text/html 452437 2024-10-28T17:51:34 text/html 271362 2025-08-05T03:51:52.335085 application/epub+zip 270409 2025-08-05T03:51:47.174577 application/epub+zip 255850 2025-08-05T03:51:46.047558 application/epub+zip 454559 2025-08-05T03:51:56.289983 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 431319 2025-08-05T03:51:51.510079 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 387944 2022-09-05T08:21:26.896509 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 460367 2025-08-05T03:51:43.779586 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 440607 2024-10-28T17:51:34 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 16970 2025-08-05T03:51:56.440012 application/rdf+xml 12998 2025-08-05T03:51:46.545532 image/jpeg 3663 2025-08-05T03:51:46.295575 image/jpeg 248302 2025-08-05T03:51:44.411548 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia