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The Whole History of My Grandfather's Chair
History retold for children, with lots of anecdotes. According to "Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 -1864) was an American novelist and short story writer... Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. His published works include novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend Franklin Pierce."
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First published January 1, 1841
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215 people want to read
About the author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
5,368 books3,516 followersNathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 9, 2015
Another Literary Birthday Challenge choice, this time in honor of Nathaniel Hawthorne. This book combines the fancied history of a chair with the very real history of various people and events important in America's early days.
I thought the concept of this book was charming, and was encouraged by the first paragraph of Hawthorne's preface: "In writing this ponderous tome, the author's desire has been to describe the eminent characters and remarkable events of our annals in such a form and style that the YOUNG may make acquaintance with them of their own accord. For this purpose, while ostensibly relating the adventures of a chair, he has endeavored to keep a distinct and unbroken thread of authentic history. The chair is made to pass from one to another of those personages of whom he thought it most desirable for the young reader to have vivid and familiar ideas, and whose lives and actions would best enable him to give picturesque sketches of the times. On its sturdy
oaken legs it trudges diligently from one scene to another, and seems always to thrust itself in the way, with most benign complacency, whenever an historical personage happens to be looking round for a seat."
We follow the chair from its arrival in America on the good ship Arbella through the ups and downs of Colonial times until many years later Grandfather buys it at an auction. Famous and infamous names are dropped and brief histories are shared about those names and how their actions affected the country.
I admit I struggled a bit with this book at first. Grandfather seemed very judgmental, such as when he is talking about Anne Hutchinson, a Puritan spiritual advisor and one of the few outspoken women of her time. He says: "She was a very sharp-witted and well-instructed lady, and was so conscious of her own wisdom and abilities that she thought it a pity that the world should not have the benefit of them." Is that supposed to be a compliment? When I first read the sentence, all I could think was 'Oh,Meow!'
But overall this was interesting and a nice little refresher course for a few events that I had forgotten ever learning about in school. Although it is never said outright, I am fairly certain that Grandfather was Nathaniel Hawthorne himself. And just in case you are wondering: yes, George Washington sat here!
I thought the concept of this book was charming, and was encouraged by the first paragraph of Hawthorne's preface: "In writing this ponderous tome, the author's desire has been to describe the eminent characters and remarkable events of our annals in such a form and style that the YOUNG may make acquaintance with them of their own accord. For this purpose, while ostensibly relating the adventures of a chair, he has endeavored to keep a distinct and unbroken thread of authentic history. The chair is made to pass from one to another of those personages of whom he thought it most desirable for the young reader to have vivid and familiar ideas, and whose lives and actions would best enable him to give picturesque sketches of the times. On its sturdy
oaken legs it trudges diligently from one scene to another, and seems always to thrust itself in the way, with most benign complacency, whenever an historical personage happens to be looking round for a seat."
We follow the chair from its arrival in America on the good ship Arbella through the ups and downs of Colonial times until many years later Grandfather buys it at an auction. Famous and infamous names are dropped and brief histories are shared about those names and how their actions affected the country.
I admit I struggled a bit with this book at first. Grandfather seemed very judgmental, such as when he is talking about Anne Hutchinson, a Puritan spiritual advisor and one of the few outspoken women of her time. He says: "She was a very sharp-witted and well-instructed lady, and was so conscious of her own wisdom and abilities that she thought it a pity that the world should not have the benefit of them." Is that supposed to be a compliment? When I first read the sentence, all I could think was 'Oh,Meow!'
But overall this was interesting and a nice little refresher course for a few events that I had forgotten ever learning about in school. Although it is never said outright, I am fairly certain that Grandfather was Nathaniel Hawthorne himself. And just in case you are wondering: yes, George Washington sat here!
June 17, 2020
One of the best classics I have ever read! Totally loved it! Was just as good the second time around!
August 3, 2020
Hawthorne is one of my favorite authors. He is descriptive and a wonderful teller of tales. This book will be near the top of the list of this author for me. Here follows some of the reasons that I can say that.
Over the years we have done great harm in the teaching of our children. History has become a subject of disdain, mockery and disregard. That in part is due to the fact that we have placed books before our young students with nothing but dry facts, figures, names and dates. When that happened many years ago we had already begun to lose the battle. This book is the way history was often taught to our children. It was engaging and the people were shown as real people. It was taught then and in this book with enthusiasm and engagement.
I am a firm believer in the axiom, "When we forget our history, we are doomed to repeat it." The history of humanity has borne this out, and I don't just mean American History. It has grieved me for a very long time now to see our history rewritten, not taught, relegated to a backseat in an effort to bring in something new and exciting. It all comes down to the truth that our history is being erased. It breaks my heart. History was recorded for a very important reason. We can learn so much from those who have gone before us; both the good and the bad. When we forget our history there is a consequence that follows, and it is a costly one.
This book and others of its time was written to inspire our children with the character and struggles and achievements of those who were before us. Yes there were wrongs and there were rights, and we can learn from both. In this book even some of the wrong motives and attitudes were presented and Hawthorne did a wonderful job of pointing out the wrong to his young listeners.
Please read this book, and please read it to your young children. Let them have the emotional ties to a history that is a part of them whether they realize it or not.
Over the years we have done great harm in the teaching of our children. History has become a subject of disdain, mockery and disregard. That in part is due to the fact that we have placed books before our young students with nothing but dry facts, figures, names and dates. When that happened many years ago we had already begun to lose the battle. This book is the way history was often taught to our children. It was engaging and the people were shown as real people. It was taught then and in this book with enthusiasm and engagement.
I am a firm believer in the axiom, "When we forget our history, we are doomed to repeat it." The history of humanity has borne this out, and I don't just mean American History. It has grieved me for a very long time now to see our history rewritten, not taught, relegated to a backseat in an effort to bring in something new and exciting. It all comes down to the truth that our history is being erased. It breaks my heart. History was recorded for a very important reason. We can learn so much from those who have gone before us; both the good and the bad. When we forget our history there is a consequence that follows, and it is a costly one.
This book and others of its time was written to inspire our children with the character and struggles and achievements of those who were before us. Yes there were wrongs and there were rights, and we can learn from both. In this book even some of the wrong motives and attitudes were presented and Hawthorne did a wonderful job of pointing out the wrong to his young listeners.
Please read this book, and please read it to your young children. Let them have the emotional ties to a history that is a part of them whether they realize it or not.
December 28, 2019
My husband bought this antique 1916ish copy for me for Christmas, along with a few other good ones. I really loved this book! Everything I know about the Puritans I learned from Nathaniel Hawthorne! Haha! 😂😂 This one is a history of New England with each chapter being about a different historical colonist. The fictional part is that each figure owned this chair at some point and at the end we find out how it ended up in Grandfather’s possession. I can’t get enough of Hawthorne...hands down my favorite male author.
There was so much great information here that has either been lost to history or just considered "outdated". I really enjoyed reading about John Eliot who translated the Bible into an Indian language. Upon further research, I learned that his and others like it are now being used to help modern native Americans rediscover the languages of their ancestors.
I also didn't know that Cotton Mather headed up the first smallpox inoculations in America. Research didn't reflect very much about that. Wikipedia says the first inoculations were discovered almost 100 years later than that. Seems the Puritans thought it was a judgement from God that shouldn't be messed with.
I found it funny that he inserted little book critiques or plugs for fellow authors such as those for the biographers of Cotton Mather, Benjamin Franklin, and others; as well as his good friend Mr. Longfellow.
I can't wait to read more by this fantastic Victorian era author!
There was so much great information here that has either been lost to history or just considered "outdated". I really enjoyed reading about John Eliot who translated the Bible into an Indian language. Upon further research, I learned that his and others like it are now being used to help modern native Americans rediscover the languages of their ancestors.
I also didn't know that Cotton Mather headed up the first smallpox inoculations in America. Research didn't reflect very much about that. Wikipedia says the first inoculations were discovered almost 100 years later than that. Seems the Puritans thought it was a judgement from God that shouldn't be messed with.
I found it funny that he inserted little book critiques or plugs for fellow authors such as those for the biographers of Cotton Mather, Benjamin Franklin, and others; as well as his good friend Mr. Longfellow.
I can't wait to read more by this fantastic Victorian era author!
October 15, 2012
This is a wonderful old book to read to children in the library setting and to a class for an added dimension to their history lessons of America. As a 5th grade teacher and librarian I keep an old 1901 copy on hand in my antique book section for read alouds from my own rocking chair.
December 3, 2025
Lawrence, Clara, Charles, and Alice, gather round their Grandfather to hear a story about a chair.
Or you could just say the beginning story of the United States. Great book, full of people that i never knew about. Fun read.
Or you could just say the beginning story of the United States. Great book, full of people that i never knew about. Fun read.
May 28, 2021
2021-03 – Grandfather’s Chair. Nathaniel Hawthorne (Author) 1840. 104 Pages.
I was unaware of this book until I came across a reference to it the book; “Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places.” by Colin Dickey. I realized that the premise of this book is exactly how I construct my tours for Historic Waynesborough. People walk into a room and see an object … their interest is less in the object than in the story of the object … well not the story of the object itself (as in who built it, what style, materials etc …) but the stories of the people who owned or used the object. As humans … we always find other people to be the most interesting thing in the room. This book is built exactly on the premise using the object of a chair as a portal to look at the early history of New England from Mayflower to just after the American Revolutionary War. Hawthorne mixes in the big names and lesser-known figures to tell his version of the story. Written in the late 1830’s the book has a surprisingly modern feel to it. The sympathy given the story and fate of the indigenous people of New England. the scorn brought on the Puritans for their treatment of the indigenous people … frankly it surprised me. It was not history to valorize but history to understand. The book is well worth reading both for the history it ells and the way it tells that history through the portal of the chair.
I was unaware of this book until I came across a reference to it the book; “Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places.” by Colin Dickey. I realized that the premise of this book is exactly how I construct my tours for Historic Waynesborough. People walk into a room and see an object … their interest is less in the object than in the story of the object … well not the story of the object itself (as in who built it, what style, materials etc …) but the stories of the people who owned or used the object. As humans … we always find other people to be the most interesting thing in the room. This book is built exactly on the premise using the object of a chair as a portal to look at the early history of New England from Mayflower to just after the American Revolutionary War. Hawthorne mixes in the big names and lesser-known figures to tell his version of the story. Written in the late 1830’s the book has a surprisingly modern feel to it. The sympathy given the story and fate of the indigenous people of New England. the scorn brought on the Puritans for their treatment of the indigenous people … frankly it surprised me. It was not history to valorize but history to understand. The book is well worth reading both for the history it ells and the way it tells that history through the portal of the chair.
October 21, 2011
All I can really say for this book, is what I"ve already said. It's okay.
I didn't really like it, I didn't really hate it.
One of the reasons was there were MANY historical mistakes in this book, which was kind of annoying.
I could have overlooked that, but the writing style, ugh. I just hate that 19th century writing style, with all the perfect children, who always say the most perfect things.
But overall it was OK.
I am 14 and... don't highly recommend this book. At least not too someone my age.
I didn't really like it, I didn't really hate it.
One of the reasons was there were MANY historical mistakes in this book, which was kind of annoying.
I could have overlooked that, but the writing style, ugh. I just hate that 19th century writing style, with all the perfect children, who always say the most perfect things.
But overall it was OK.
I am 14 and... don't highly recommend this book. At least not too someone my age.
July 27, 2012
I didn't realize Nathaniel Hawthorne was so into early American History. I enjoyed learning about the early colonists from the perspective of a historian living in the 1800's rather than from the perspective of modern historians.
March 31, 2015
I enjoyed this book a lot (as an adult), but it definitely highlighted the differences made to children's books in the last 174 years! It was more a history lesson from the time of the Mayflower to the American Revolution than a fun story for kids.
August 27, 2025
great read. most only remember the scarlet A of the Scarlett letter. this book reminds us all how history happens all around us, and all of us can be a part of it if we so wish. the book also beautifully illustrates how wiser we all are when we are familiar with our past and understand why we are where we are now. History continues to teach us the same lessons, and it is truly up to us to care about what the lessons may be. I have been reading historical piececaftervpiececand every single book opens my eyes on something I have missed or was left out of the last book I read. I can never begin to know everything or remember all of it, but I can continually stretch my mind and see how puzzle pieces that were directly in front of me go together and why the pieces are next to one another. grandfather's chair is not a perfect history, does not remember every important person or event, but wow, does it easily introduce you to an event that possibly you have heard of but not personalized to yourself. read it!
October 26, 2021
I love this little book, it is full of illustrated pictures to bring young and old readers into its story. I love how history was told to a new generation by sharing what Grandfather's Chair saw from its beginning. Not only does the author relay the stories of the past to its bystanders but the chair and who owned it but the chair becomes personified, as it breaks a leg and needs to be repaired. In essence, the chair teaches that in all things, one must observe with Justice, Truth and Love are the chief ingredients of every happy life.
Very good little old book from 1840.
Very good little old book from 1840.
September 5, 2024
Hawthorne Hawks #48
It's been a while since I have cracked a book from this geezer, but here we are, basically a faction book - fiction and fact mixed with old geezer in his chair, and stories from history of the local area of New England.
Mixed results for me, and a bit of a chore to get through at times.
It's been a while since I have cracked a book from this geezer, but here we are, basically a faction book - fiction and fact mixed with old geezer in his chair, and stories from history of the local area of New England.
Mixed results for me, and a bit of a chore to get through at times.
February 29, 2024
passively read this over the course of a few months because it was free to read online. lots of good history and overall decent read
April 19, 2025
Every night an elderly man narrates to his grandchildren the history behind his chair, which goes all the way back to the early 17th century; the events it went through and the historical figures who used to sit on it: famous settlers from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, some of the Founding Fathers, and so on.
It isn't bad, possibly because the prose reads like it was intended for children, but it requires having an interest in early American history.
It isn't bad, possibly because the prose reads like it was intended for children, but it requires having an interest in early American history.
January 14, 2020
This novel was unexpected and unique. Essentially, Nathaniel Hawthorne describes historical events through the point of view of a fictional chair that is "present" during these events. While the events themselves are entirely accurate, the fact that it's a Grandfather telling the story to children and connecting all of them to a chair of all things makes this telling of history slightly more personal. While I would never read this book again, I feel inspired having read it. This book is not something I would choose to read from novels today so I feel good being exposed to things I would never have chosen for myself. I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 because it's well-written and takes an interesting angle for historical events, but I would not read it again because History is my least favorite subject to learn about. I do not think I will retain much regarding names and dates from this book but the events were more humanized and that helped a lot.
March 10, 2015
Nathaniel Hawthorne writes with a style that is quite nearly lost on our generation. We enjoyed this little story because he broke the chapters into just one to two pages in length. We were able to go back through and discuss the contents of these writings. This is an accurate historical portrayal of the Pilgrim time period through the writing of the Constitution. I'm sure that I enjoyed it more than my children, but they seemed to enjoy many of the chapters immensely.
May 17, 2017
This children's story portrays Hawthorne as the narrator grandfather, relating the regional history of New England through the fanciful history of his chair. The narrator figures regional history as national history.
November 13, 2009
A collection of stories of New England history as it was seen by a chair that was owned by many famous men. A good overview of the story of New England and America.
January 31, 2011
I have a 1903 edition of my book that was given to my Great-grandmother by her cousin. :)
August 2, 2011
A great book for children!
February 16, 2013
Interesting way to teach history; unfortunately it often put me to sleep.
December 9, 2019
Hawthorne never disappoints. This was such a fun little tale. I will definitely read it again!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews