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47 pages 1 hour read

The Professor's House

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1925

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Book Brief

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Willa Cather

The Professor's House

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1925
Book Details
Pages

258

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Midwestern United States • 1920s

Publication Year

1925

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Professor’s House by Willa Cather depicts the inner struggles of Godfrey St. Peter, a history professor grappling with his identity in middle age. He remains attached to his old house, where memories of his late student Tom Outland and their shared interest in the American Southwest haunt him. St. Peter navigates family tensions and his sense of missed opportunities while working on editing Tom's diaries. The book includes depictions of suicidal ideation and the misappropriation of Indigenous culture.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Nostalgic

Bittersweet

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Willa Cather's The Professor's House blends introspective and evocative prose, exploring themes of change and disillusionment. Critics praise its rich character development and atmospheric depiction of midlife crisis. However, some find its pacing slow and the narrative structure disjointed. Overall, it's a thought-provoking, though occasionally divisive, literary work.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Professor's House?

Readers who appreciate introspective narratives and character-driven stories will enjoy Willa Cather's The Professor's House. Fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence will find Cather's exploration of personal growth and cultural changes deeply resonant.

Character List

Professor Godfrey St. Peter

Historian and the central character around whose personal and professional life much of the narrative revolves. As he copes with changes in his family and environment, his attachment to his attic study is significant.

A character who exists largely in memories as an influential figure in Godfrey St. Peter's life. Described with admirable qualities, Tom's presence looms over the other characters.

St. Peter's wife, who shares a complicated and evolving relationship with her husband. Her worldly nature is contrasted by St. Peter’s introspective personality.

An engineer married to St. Peter's elder daughter Rosamond, known for his wealth and generosity. He champions Tom Outland posthumously, aiming to gain acceptance in his new family.

St. Peter’s elder daughter, previously engaged to Tom Outland. Married to Louie Marsellus, she has embraced a life of wealth and luxury that brings tension within the family.

Kathleen St. Peter’s husband, who maintains a friendly relationship with his father-in-law and shares interests with him. His career as a writer connects him closely with Kathleen and St. Peter.

The younger daughter of St. Peter, who remains close to her father. She shares a mutual appreciation and memory of Tom Outland with her father.

The St. Peters' housekeeper, who has a history of friendship and cooperation with Godfrey St. Peter. She shares space in the attic room and proves crucial in key moments.

Book Details
Pages

258

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Midwestern United States • 1920s

Publication Year

1925

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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