Evered: Enriched edition. A New England Family Saga of Love, Loyalty, and Betrayal

by Ben Ames Williams

Ben Ames Williams' novel, 'Evered,' delves into the complex dynamics of family relationships and the impact of societal expectations on individual identities. Set in rural New England, the book intertwines themes of love, loyalty, and betrayal against the backdrop of a changing world at the turn of the 20th century. Williams' writing style is rich in detail and character development, capturing the essence of small-town life with authenticity and emotional depth. Through vivid imagery and nuanced storytelling, 'Evered' offers a poignant exploration of the tensions between personal desires and societal norms, making it a compelling read for those interested in family sagas and coming-of-age narratives. Ben Ames Williams, a prolific American author known for his evocative portrayals of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances, brings his own experiences growing up in New England to the pages of 'Evered.' His keen observations of human nature and keen understanding of complex relationships shine through in this captivating novel, revealing a profound insight into the intricacies of the human experience. Readers looking for a thought-provoking and beautifully crafted story that resonates with universal themes of love and loss will find 'Evered' a captivating and rewarding read.

125 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1921

About the author

Ben Ames Williams was born in Macon, Mississippi to Daniel Webster Williams and Sarah Marshall Ames on March 7, 1889. Just after his birth, he and his parents moved to Jackson, Ohio. Because his father was owner and editor of the Jackson Standard Journal in Ohio, Ben Williams grew up around writing, printing, and editing. In high school he worked for the Journal, doing grunt work in the beginning and eventually writing and editing. He attended Dartmouth College and upon graduation in 1910 was offered a job teaching English at a boy’s school in Connecticut. He telegraphed his father seeking career advice, but his handwriting was terrible and his father mistook “teaching” for “traveling” and, not wanting his son to become a traveling businessman, advised him not to take the job. Richard Cary says it later saved Williams from “a purgatory of grading endless, immature English ‘themes’” and propelled him “toward a career as one of the most popular storytellers of his time”. Right after graduation he took a job reporting for the Boston American.

Williams worked hard reporting for the local newspaper, but only did this for income; his heart lay with magazine fiction. Each night he worked on his fiction writing with the aspiration that one day, his stories would be able to support himself, his wife, Florence Talpey, and their children, Roger, Ben, and Penelope. He faced many rejection letters in the beginning of his career, which only drove him to study harder and practice more.

Williams was first published on August 23, 1915 in The Popular Magazine with his short story “Deep Stuff.” After that his popularity slowly grew. He published 135 short stories, 35 serials, and 7 articles for the Saturday Evening Post during a period of 24 years. After the Post took him, other magazines began eagerly seeking Williams to submit his fiction to their magazines.

Williams is perhaps most famous for creating the fictional town of Fraternity, located in rural Maine. 125 of his short stories were set in Fraternity, and they were most popular in the Post. Maine is also the setting for many of his novels.

Williams died of a heart attack in 1953.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[W H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in 1921 but is set somewhat earlier in a rural America prior to the automobile era. It is easy to read and for me the attraction was the background to the plot, being the time and place of small town life, hard agricultural toil and also the turn of phrase of the protaganists. I saw this as a superb faded snapshot of a time long gone. The storyline is quite convincing, dealing with the relationship of a strong-willed farmer and his family and his neighbours, following a tragic incident.