The Eternal City

"The Eternal City" by Hall Caine is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story delves into the lives of various characters against the backdrop of societal and political turmoil in Rome, particularly focusing on themes of love, sacrifice, and social justice. The characters include a young boy named David Leone, whose poignant backstory intertwines with the central narrative that revolves around the influential figure of David Rossi, an anarchist politician seeking reform. The opening of the book introduces the struggles of a poor, vulnerable boy, David Leone, who finds himself lost in the cold streets of London, reflecting on the despair faced by those in his situation. After being rescued by a kind doctor, the story quickly shifts to a narrative set twenty years later, on the last day of the century, as the Pope's Jubilee attracts a crowd in Rome. As the festivities unfold, we meet various prominent figures, including David Rossi, who plans a significant protest against the injustices faced by the people. The setting and character dynamics are rich with political and emotional complexities, indicating that the novel will address the struggles of the working class and the individual's place within the larger societal framework. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine, usually known as Hall Caine, was a British novelist, dramatist, short story writer, poet and critic of the late 19th and early 20th century. Caine's popularity during his lifetime was unprecedented. He wrote 15 novels on subjects of adultery, divorce, domestic violence, illegitimacy, infanticide, religious bigotry and women's rights, became an international literary celebrity, and sold a total of ten million books. Caine was the most highly paid novelist of his day. The Eternal City is the first novel to have sold over a million copies worldwide. In addition to his books, Caine is the author of more than a dozen plays and was one of the most commercially successful dramatists of his time; many were West End and Broadway productions. Caine adapted seven of his novels for the stage. He collaborated with leading actors and managers, including Wilson Barrett, Viola Allen, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Louis Napoleon Parker, Mrs Patrick Campbell, George Alexander, and Arthur Collins. Most of Caine's novels were adapted into silent black and white films. A. E. Coleby's 1923 18,454 feet, nineteen-reel film The Prodigal Son became the longest commercially made British film. Alfred Hitchcock's 1929 film The Manxman, is Hitchcock's last silent film.