The Turning of Griggsby: Being a Story of Keeping up with Dan'l Webster

"The Turning of Griggsby: Being a Story of Keeping up with Dan'l Webster" by Irving Bacheller reflects the humorous chaos of Griggsby, a small village obsessed with the grand speeches of Daniel Webster, as told through the eyes of Uriel Havelock. Starting with schoolmaster Appleton Hall's enthusiastic retelling of Webster's speech, we see how the town tries, and often fails, to imitate the great orator, usually with drunken antics and false courage. Uriel, a boy from poor beginnings, arrives in Griggsby ready to learn, but soon becomes distracted by his love for Florence Dunbar, a rich girl who makes him feel even more out of place. The story unfolds as a funny look at people’s dreams, mishaps, and the sometimes harsh truths of life in a small town during a time of change.