John Herring: A West of England Romance. Volume 1 (of 3)

"John Herring: A West of England Romance, Volume 1" by S. Baring-Gould is a tale that throws us into the heart of 19th-century Devon, England, where we meet the wild and strange Cobbledick family, folks who live a rough life far from what most would call civilized. The story paints a vivid picture of their world, especially how they clash with ideas about owning things and the rules of society. It all kicks off with a funny look at the Cobbledicks, who've made their home inside a giant cyder cask; their leader, Grizzly, wrestles with modern ideas of property, and his daughter, Joyce, tries to get by under his harsh rule. When a stagecoach accident brings a fancy young woman named Mirelle into the mix, it sets off a chain reaction that pulls the Cobbledicks into the orbit of a more refined world. Here, the author is examining the primitive versus the civilized, and what it all means for family and society.