Peter: a novel of which he is not the hero

Frances Hopkinson Smith's family-oriented tale Peter: A Novel of Which He Is Not the Hero (1908) is the story of a bank worker and his interfering sister, Felicia, who visits him in New York each winter. It also portrays the nuptials of their nephew and niece, Ruth and Jack. The work examines the increasing materialism and changing attitudes of people at the turn of the 20th century and suggests that the affection and support of family elders plays a pivotal role in young peoples' lives.