A Barren Title: A Novel

"A Barren Title: A Novel" by T. W. Speight is a story from the late 1800s that follows John Fildew, a man whose best days are behind him, as he deals with both his family and people tied to the Earl of Loughton, who recently passed away. We see Fildew managing his life, which is filled with memories of better times, money problems, and how society sees him, eventually becoming more involved in the lives of the rich. As the book opens, we see Mr. John Fildew and learn about his personality and how he lives in a busy part of London. The book shows him as a man in his early fifties, trying to hold on to his old honor while struggling with money. We watch him take his daily walk, noticing his strange routines and social status, also his rejection of his son's ideas about dressing better. His meeting with Mr. Macer, a painter, suggests that Fildew has links to the art world through his son, Clem, and this sets the scene for the story of their relationship and the main problem about their family's link to the late Earl's messy situation. The start of the book sets a tone of making fun of things and commenting on society, which will probably continue as the story unfolds.