Grace Caldwell Tate thinks in precise, purposeful terms—about desire, status, and the social chessboard of mid-century America. But in Fort Penn, where reputations rise and fall with alarming speed, her tightly managed world is pulled into collision with ambition, money, passion, and betrayal. John O’Hara’s sweeping novel follows a cast of unforgettable characters across shifting rooms and seasons, capturing the glamour and pressure of respectable life while exposing how quickly private choices become public consequences. A Rage to Live is a large-scale social chronicle with wit, bite, and a driving sense of momentum—both intimate and panoramic—where even the most controlled life can’t outrun what comes next.
About the Author
John O’Hara (1905–1970) was an American novelist and short-story writer celebrated for his exacting ear for dialogue and his unsentimental, sharply observed portraits of class, ambition, and American social performance. Often grouped with mid-century “American realism,” he wrote with particular force about power relationships—who wants what, who gets it, and what it costs. His reputation rests on novels such as Appointment in Samarra, Ten North Frederick, and Butterfield 8, along with a body of fiction known for its social acuity and characters whose inner lives collide with the world’s expectations.
This is one of the many featured books in my Whatnot Live Buy-it-Now auction. However, if you purchase the book directly on my store website, you will receive one dollar off by entering the coupon code TAKE1OFF.
