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Riceyman Steps
Hardcover
Classic FictionGeneral FictionLiterary Fiction
ISBN13: 9781025951362
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 332
Weight: 1.41
Height: 0.75 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Riceyman Steps is a compelling masterpiece of 20th-century realism that offers a penetrating look into the psychological depths of obsession and austerity. Set in the atmospheric streets of Clerkenwell, London, shortly after the Great War, the novel centers on Henry Earlforward, a quiet secondhand bookseller whose existence is defined by a singular, suffocating devotion to miserliness. When Henry marries the enterprising widow Violet Arb, their relationship evolves into a grim dance of mutual deprivation, as they strip their lives of every luxury and comfort in the pursuit of thrift.
Standing in stark contrast to the couple's cold frugality is Elsie, their loyal and compassionate servant. Through her eyes, the reader witnesses the tragic consequences of greed and the resilience of the human spirit. The narrative meticulously captures the textures of urban life and the internal motivations of its characters, making Riceyman Steps a landmark of English literature. It remains a powerful exploration of the human condition, capturing the tension between material hoarding and emotional poverty in a changing post-war landscape. This work is celebrated for its gritty authenticity and its haunting portrayal of the consequences of a life lived without generosity.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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