Penny-pinching bookseller Henry Earlforward harbours a desperate love for his neighbour and customer Violet. After he succeeds in wooing and marrying her, their marriage begins to fall into ruins as Violet’s spending clashes with Henry’s miserly nature. As Henry’s health begins to decline, their loyal maid Elsie attempts to keep the household afloat, secretly waiting for her shellshocked love, Joe, to return for her. Set in Clerkenwell, London, Arnold Bennett’s ‘Riceyman Steps’ (1923) is a bittersweet tale that marked a significant departure from his other works. Fans of heart wrenching love stories will enjoy this early 20th century classic that reads like a cross between Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ and Jojo Moyes’ ‘Me Before You’.
Enoch Arnold Bennett (1867 – 1931), better known as Arnold Bennett, was an English writer of novels, short stories and plays. The eldest of six children, Bennett grew up in Staffordshire as part of a cultured artistic family. His first novel, ‘A Man From The North’, was published in 1898 to critical acclaim but little commercial success. However, his prolific output soon made him a successful author, and by the time of his death at 63 he was a household name with many published classics. Bennett is best remembered for his novels ‘Anna of the Five Towns’ (1902), ‘The Old Wives’ Tale’ (1908), ‘Clayhanger’ (1910) and ‘Riceyman Steps’ (1923). His work frequently dealt with real-life issues and have been loved for their relatability and the keen insight they offer into the everyday. Posthumously recognised as a literary genius, Bennett’s works have had frequent comparisons to those of his contemporaries such as H.G. Wells and John Galsworthy.
