An Engagement of Convenience: A Novel

"An Engagement of Convenience: A Novel" by Louis Zangwill is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Miss Alice Robinson, who harbors a deep affection for her reclusive neighbor, the artist Wyndham. As she observes his decline in fortune following a financial crash, Alice is torn between her feelings for him and her own insecurities, while Wyndham grapples with his identity as an artist amid adversity. The opening of the story introduces us to Alice Robinson, who has been enamored with Wyndham from a distance, captivated by his artistic life and charm. As Wyndham's prosperity crumbles, Alice's admiration turns into an urgent desire to help him, culminating in her rejection of a marriage proposal from a more suitable suitor. Meanwhile, we also see Wyndham's despair as he battles his own demons, feeling increasingly isolated and helpless. This sets the stage for a poignant exploration of love, ambition, and the complexities of social class as the characters navigate their intertwined fates. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Louis Zangwill was an English novelist; born at Bristol, England. He was educated at Jews' Free School, and for a time acted as teacher there, but left together with his brother, Israel Zangwill, and set up a printing establishment. Afterward, however, he turned to literature, and produced, under the pseudonym "Z. Z.," "A Drama in Dutch", which attracted some attention for its local color. It was followed by "The World and a Man" (1896), "The Beautiful Miss Brooke" (1897), and "Cleo the Magnificent" (1899), all distinguished by a certain realistic vividness and somewhat cynical sense of humor. He also produced a more sympathetic study, "One's Womenkind".