''The Prodigal Judge'' is a novel written by American novelist Vaughan Kester and published in 1911.(2 April 1911)
"The Prodigal Judge": Mr. Vaughn Kester's Much-Heralded Novel Has a Flavor of All Its Own
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

''(12 March 1911)
A Tale of Early Days
''Salt Lake Tribune'', p. 21, col. 1.(13 March 1911)
Among the Books (review)
'' Richmond Times-Dispatch'', p. 7 col. 4.(11 March 1911)
Swift Action Marks 'The Prodigal Judge' (review)
'' New York Herald'', p. 16, col. 3.Rich, Amy C. (April 1911)
Books of the Day (review)
''Twentieth Century Magazine'', pp. 94-95 Kester wrote the novel while living at

Gunston Hall Gunston Hall is an 18th-century Georgian mansion near the Potomac River in Mason Neck, Virginia, United States. Built between 1755 and 1759 as the main residence and headquarters of a plantation, the house was the home of the United State ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. A best-seller, it was the second-best selling fiction book in the United States in 1911. Hackett, Alice Payne
Seventy Years of Best Sellers 1895-1965
p. 107 (1967) (the lists for 1895-1912 in this volume are derived from the lists published in ''

The Bookman (New York) ''The Bookman'' was a literary journal established in 1895 by Dodd, Mead and Company. It drew its name from the phrase, "I am a book-man," by James Russell Lowell. The phrase, without the hyphen, regularly appeared on the cover and title page o ...

'')The "Best Sellers of 1911"
in ''The American library annual 1911-12'', pp. 121-24 (1912)(1 April 1911)
Quotes about book
''Publishers Weekly'' (a multi-page ad with quotes from booksellers about the book) Kester died in July 1911, but not before enjoying the knowledge his book had reached the top of the bestseller lists.In Memoriam
''

'' (October 1911), pp. 129-30 To promote the book, publisher

Bobbs-Merrill Company The Bobbs-Merrill Company was a book publisher located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Company history The company began in 1850 October 3 when Samuel Merrill bought an Indianapolis bookstore and entered the publishing business. After his death in ...

held a "book review contest", with prizes of $250, $150, and $100 for the first through third best reviews published in the first month of the book's release, judged by a panel consisting of

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

professor

William Lyon Phelps William Lyon Phelps (January 2, 1865 New Haven, Connecticut – August 21, 1943 New Haven, Connecticut) was an American author, critic and scholar. He taught the first American university course on the modern novel. He had a radio show, wrote ...

, magazine editor

John Sanborn Phillips John Sanborn Phillips (1861–1949) attended Knox College in Illinois, where he worked on the student newspaper and met S. S. McClure. In 1887 McClure hired him to manage the home office of the McClure Newspaper Syndicate (founded in 1884). The ...

, and writer

William Allen White William Allen White (February 10, 1868 – January 29, 1944) was an American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement. Between 1896 and his death, White became a spokesman for middle America. At a 193 ...

. Third place went to

H. L. Mencken Henry Louis Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956) was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, ...

.(20 August 2011).
A Book Review Contest
''Indianapolis Star''

Adaptations

It debuted at the Bronx Opera House in December 1913 with

George Fawcett George Fawcett (August 25, 1860 – June 6, 1939) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. Biography Born in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1860, Fawcett graduated from the University of Virginia. His initial inclination was to ...

playing the judge.(9 December 1913)
"The Prodigal Judge": George Fawcett Appears in a Dramatization of Vaughn Kester's Novel
''

'' It was also made into a silent film of the same title directed by

Edward José Edward José (5 July 1865 – 18 December 1930) was a Belgian film director and actor of the silent era. He directed 42 films between 1915 and 1925. He also performed in 12 films between 1910 and 1916.Jean Paige Jean Paige (born Lucille Beatrice O'Hair, July 3, 1895 – December 15, 1990) was an American film actress of the silent era. Early years Paige was born in Paris, Illinois, and raised on her father's farm there. She developed a love for hors ...

and Macklyn Arbuckle (as the judge), released in 1922.(11 February 1922)
The Prodigal Judge (Review)
''Exhibitors Trade Review'', Vol. 11, No., 11, p. 787

References

External links

''The Prodigal Judge''
full text at

Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg (PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the oldest digital libr ...

''The Prodigal Judge''
full scan via Google Books {{DEFAULTSORT:Prodigal Judge, The 1911 American novels Novels set in North Carolina Novels set in Tennessee American historical novels Novels set in the 1830s American novels adapted into films American novels adapted into plays Bobbs-Merrill Company books