Looking Round

by Azel Stevens Roe

Looking Round is a late-19th-century moral novel in which a kindly clergyman, the Rev. Robert Ransom, rescues a homeless boy, Willie Herbert, and anchors him in a home where discipline, diligence, and faith lead to a purposeful life. The narrative follows Willie’s education from boyhood to manhood at the Woodburn parsonage, his romance with Eva Stanley, and the precarious guardianship schemes of Randolph Herbert’s heirs and a covetous guardian, Mr. Blanchard. Through episodes at the parsonage, church life, and a stormy voyage, the author explores Christian duty, family obligations, and the temptations of wealth and social power. With the help of friends like Mrs. Sandford and Mr. Tremain, Willie and Eva overcome opposition and wed, binding their futures to a pious, industrious life and offering a moral meditation on forgiveness, repentance, and the triumph of conscience.

334 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2015