Project Gutenberg 1996-10-01 Public domain in the USA. 129 Van Dyke, Henry 1852 1933 Dyke, Henry Van Dyke, Henry Jackson Van Dyke, Henry I. Van The Mansion There is an improved edition of this title, eBook #38312 Produced by Michael Leonard "The Mansion" by Henry Van Dyke is a philosophical novella written in the early 20th century. The narrative explores themes of materialism versus spiritual fulfillment, focusing on the life of John Weightman, a wealthy banker committed to upholding societal norms and expectations. The book delves into the consequences of a life measured solely by material success and the inherent values of selflessness and love for others. The story follows John Weightman, who prides himself on his material achievements and societal respectability, as he navigates his relationships with his son Harold and wife. Harold, seeking a more authentic life, feels stifled by his father's rigid values and longs for freedom to make his own choices. After a Christmas Eve dinner where tensions rise, John Weightman experiences a life-altering moment that leads him to an unexpected understanding of his existence. In a surreal journey after his death, he encounters the Keeper of the Gate, who reveals the true measure of a person’s worth lies not in material possessions but in acts of love and kindness. Ultimately, John discovers that his earthly deeds, driven by self-interest, do not grant him the grand mansion he expected in the afterlife, but instead a humble abode reflective of his life's true essence. This transformation compels him to change his approach to life and relationships, particularly with Harold, as he learns the value of genuine giving and connection. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 79.1 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Short stories Christmas stories Christian life -- Fiction Conduct of life -- Fiction Christian fiction Future life -- Fiction Immortality -- Fiction PZ PS Text Category: Novels Category: American Literature 80995 2025-07-01T06:52:57.453226 text/html 80816 80755 2025-01-01T07:16:42.004094 2023-10-01T06:32:12.543017 text/html text/html 98607 2025-07-01T06:53:01.144223 application/epub+zip 97526 2025-07-01T06:52:59.018190 application/epub+zip 97526 2025-07-01T06:52:58.005223 application/epub+zip 177680 2025-07-01T06:53:02.673199 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 171006 2025-07-01T06:53:00.549216 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 140978 2022-09-01T07:43:17.360325 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 69583 2025-07-01T06:52:57.239211 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 69745 2021-01-01T10:48:38 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 27467 2021-01-01T10:48:38 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 20136 2025-07-01T06:53:02.795185 application/rdf+xml 11966 2025-07-01T06:52:58.488231 image/jpeg 3140 2025-07-01T06:52:58.244248 image/jpeg 98342 2025-07-01T06:52:57.462208 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