The Conquest of Canaan [Paperback]

Booth Tarkington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2006

The Conquest of Canaan is the story of social pariah Joe Louden, who as a young man is the subject of much gossip and malignment in the small Midwestern city of Canaan. His fiercest opponent is Judge Pike, the richest and most powerful man in town. In spite of his poverty, Joe begins studying law in his spare time, eventually leaving town to work his way through law school. Returning to Canaan, he begins practicing law, handling the unpopular cases that no one else will touch. After much opposition, he wins the respect of the townspeople and ultimately usurps Judge Pike's power. Newly designed and typeset in a modern 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Waking Lion Press (July 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600962378
• ISBN-13: 978-1600962370
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Typical early Tarkington, September 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Conquest of Canaan. (Hardcover)

A tale about a social pariah, Joe Louden, who as a young man is maligned and much talked about in the small midwestern town of Canaan. Leader of the talkers is Judge Pike, the richest and most powerful man in the city. Joe, even though he is poor, turns to reading books and studying law in his spare time. He eventually leaves town and gets himself through law school. He begins to practice law and only handles the scoundrels of the town because Pike and the rest of the town scolds anyone who should use his services. With the help of a woman, he wins the respect of Canaan and is able to usurp Pike's power.

I thought this book was fairly dry. There were some interesting parts, but overall, I found it hard to get into. I suspect, Tarkington's early works were not as polished and his older ones.