The Damnation of Theron Ware
Paperback
PhilosophyLiterary CriticismFiction Anthologies
Publisher: Les Prairies Numeriques
Published: Feb 27 2026
Pages: 422
Weight: 1.24
Height: 0.94 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
The Damnation of Theron Ware
Harold Frederic
Theron Ware is a young Methodist pastor raised in a strict religious tradition and without much of a worldly education. As his career begins, he quickly finds himself reassigned to a congregation in Octavius, a small town in the Adirondacks. As Ware and his wife settle into their new roles in small-town America, he meets Celia, a young girl fascinated by music, poetry, and literature-and he quickly finds himself struggling with both carnal temptation, and the world of experience outside of religion.The Damnation of Theron Ware (published in the U.K. as Illumination) is Frederic's most famous novel. Its realistic style-Frederic modeled the fictional Octavius after Utica, New York-paints a nuanced portrait of the small-town American religious life of the era. It was received very positively, becoming the fifth best-selling book in the U.S. in 1896 with outfits like the Chicago Tribune saying that it is a book which every one must read who wishes to hold his own in popular literary discussions. It garnered literary allusions in works like Main Street; like Main Street, The Damnation of Theron Ware skewers small-town life, but unlike Main Street, its primary focus is religion. It also earned a mention from F. Scott Fitzgerald, who in a letter wrote that he once considered it the best American novel.
Also from
Frederic, Harold
The Young Emperor, William II of Germany A Study in Character Development on a Throne
Frederic, Harold
Paperback
Seth's Brother's Wife: A Study Of Life In The Greater New York (Cram Edition)
Frederic, Harold
Paperback
The Young Emperor, William II of Germany: A Study In Character Development On A Throne (Cram Edition)
Frederic, Harold
Paperback
Also in
Fiction Anthologies
On Quality: An Inquiry Into Excellence: Unpublished and Selected Writings
Pirsig, Robert M.
Pirsig, Wendy K.
Hardcover
James Weldon Johnson: Writings (Loa #145): The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man / Along This Way / Essays and Editorials / Selected Poems
Johnson, James Weldon
Hardcover
Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Stoker, Bram
Shelley, Mary
Paperback
Sez I to Myself: The Collected Essays of Frank and Malachy McCourt
McCourt, Frank
McCourt, Malachy
Hardcover
Here in New England: Unforgettable Stories of People, Places, and Memories That Connect Us All.
Allen, Mel
Paperback
The Greek Tragedies: Seventeen Plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides
Sophocles
Euripides
Aeschylus
Paperback
Learn Russian with Beginner Stories: Interlinear Russian to English
Hyplern, Bermuda Word
Gettys, Serafima
Van Den End, Kees
Paperback
Obvious Adams -- The Story of a Successful Businessman: New Business Edition
Updegraff, Robert R.
Paperback
The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings: Poems, Tales, Essays, and Reviews
Poe, Edgar Allan
Hardcover
Bookin' in the Big House: What I Learned Leading a Women's Prison Book Club
Devoto, Pat Cunningham
Paperback
Japanese Folktales for Language Learners: Bilingual Legends and Fables in Japanese and English (Free Online Audio Recording)
Sato, Eriko
Sato, Anna
Paperback
The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, volume 1
Fager, Anders
Cubas, Cristina Fernández
Pedraza, Pilar
Paperback
The Serpent Mound, Adams County, Ohio (Facsimile Reprint)
Randall, E. O.
Randall, Emilius Oviatt
Paperback
