Kennedy Square

by Francis Hopkinson Smith, Arthur I. Keller (Illustrator)

Kennedy Square is a novel written by F. Hopkinson Smith. The story is set in the late 1800s in Newport, Rhode Island, a wealthy and exclusive summer resort town. The book follows the lives of several characters who live in the area and are connected to Kennedy Square, a small park in the center of town. The main character is Miss Jane Cabot, a young woman who lives with her wealthy aunt and is searching for love and independence. She meets and falls in love with a young artist named Dick Percival, but their relationship is complicated by social expectations and family pressure. Other characters include Mrs. Wentworth, a wealthy widow who is involved in a scandalous affair, and her daughter, who is engaged to a wealthy but dull businessman. There is also a group of young men who spend their days sailing and partying, and a mysterious old man who sits in the park and watches the world go by. The book explores themes of love, class, and social expectations in a time when society was changing rapidly. It also paints a vivid portrait of Newport and its wealthy residents, with descriptions of grand mansions, lavish parties, and the beautiful coastline. Overall, Kennedy Square is a charming and engaging novel that captures the spirit of a bygone era.1911. Smith had several engineer, artist, illustrator and short story writer. His success in engineering included planning the foundations for the Statue of Liberty. He traveled frequently to Europe and became known for his portraits and illustration. Smith was an entertaining after-dinner storyteller and in his fifties he decided to commit his stories to paper and is remembered for his Colonel Carter novels. The book On the precise day on which this story opens-some sixty or more years ago, to be exact-a bullet-headed, merry-eyed, mahogany-colored young darky stood on the top step of an old-fashioned, high-stoop house, craning his head up and down and across Kennedy Square in the effort to get the first glimpse of his master, St. George Wilmot Temple, attorney and counsellor-at-law, who was expected home from a ducking trip down the bay. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

524 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1911

About the author

Francis Hopkinson Smith (October 23, 1838 – April 7, 1915) was a United States author, artist and engineer. He built the foundation for the Statue of Liberty, wrote many famous stories and received awards for his paintings.