The Bulwark

A young Quaker finds material success—and moral challenge—after marrying into a wealthy Philadelphia family, in a novel by the author of Sister Carrie.

 

Rufus and Hannah Barnes are good Quakers, highly respected in their new community of Dukla, Pennsylvania and strictly loyal to their faith. They pass this loyalty on to their children, including Solon Barnes, who must hold on to his Quaker convictions while living in an increasingly materialistic modern society.

 

After falling for the lovely Benecia—a daughter of the wealthy Wallin family—Solon is given a position at her father’s bank in Philadelphia, poised to work his way up from the bottom. But Solon’s faith is challenged by his position at the bank, as his moral values cause him to butt heads with corrupt executives driven by financial gain. Meanwhile, as his own children grow up, they start rebelling against the strict principles they were raised with. As the weight of the world bears down on the noble foundations at the core of his principles, Solon must struggle to remain a bulwark for his faith.

 

“The great American novelist.”—Publishers Weekly