The Two Standards (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

William Barry

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0483623679 ISBN 13: 9780483623675

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

A vivid tale of art, ambition, and the price of freedom in a troubled Victorian world.

In a quiet English village, a young woman named Marian Greystoke wrestles with longing, duty, and the pull of a hidden life beyond the parsonage walls. As she and her sisters face financial hardship and social expectations, a visionary musician confronts powerful forces that want to control creativity itself. The drama pools around the abbey, the stage, and the promises made to art—and to money.

Across a web of relationships—between a charming but elusive cousin, a devoted husband, and a circle of patrons—the book probes how art survives when commerce encroaches. It tastes of longing, guilt, and the stubborn hope that true beauty can still be lived, not merely sold.

• Follow Marian’s interior reflections as she questions a future built on sacrifice and restraint.
• Meet Gerard, a gifted composer who yearns for artistic freedom rather than profit.
• Experience social tension around money, class, and artistic integrity in a richly drawn setting.
• Witness debates about the role of art, the worth of tradition, and the lure of new forms of expression.

Ideal for readers drawn to historical fiction that centers on creativity, family dynamics, and the clash between art and commerce.

About this title

About the Author

1805-1885

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0483623679
• ISBN 13: 9780483623675
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 538