The Sturdy Oak

In Whitewater, New York, politics is never merely public business—it enters the home, the office, and the marriage bed. The Sturdy Oak follows George Remington, an ambitious young lawyer on the rise as a district attorney candidate, and Genevieve, his devoted new wife, as their polished life is unsettled by the battle over woman suffrage. Around them gathers a vivid cast of relatives, friends, and political allies, including the outspoken Alys Brewster-Smith, the timid Emelene Brand, the wry Uncle Martin Jaffry, the self-conscious Pudge Sheridan, and Betty Sheridan, a stenographer with a strong will of her own. As suffragists press George to take a stand, he is forced to navigate public pressure, donor backlash, and the expectations of the men who shape his career. At the same time, Betty and Penny Evans spar over marriage, money, and a woman's right to work, while George's treatment of Betty exposes the cost of his ambition. Genevieve, once certain her life would be devoted to her husband's success, begins to question him, linking personal loyalty to factory conditions, women's independence, and the larger struggle for equality. Witty, socially minded, and sharply observant, the novel blends romance, satire, and political drama into a lively portrait of modern marriage under pressure. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.