''The Two Sisters'' was the

first novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...

published by English author

H. E. Bates Herbert Ernest Bates (16 May 1905 – 29 January 1974), better known as H. E. Bates, was an English writer. His best-known works include ''Love for Lydia'', '' The Darling Buds of May'', and '' My Uncle Silas''. Early life H.E. Bates was ...

in 1926.

Background

It was his first novel, though he had published a one-act play ''The Last Bread'' earlier that year. The book was inspired by one of his midnight walks, which took him to the small village of

Farndish Farndish is a rural hamlet in northwest Bedfordshire, located about 500 metres (yards) east of the county border with Northamptonshire. The village is near the Northamptonshire villages of Irchester and Wollaston and the Bedfordshire village of ...

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council wa ...

. There, late at night, he saw a light burning in a cottage window and it was this that triggered the story. It was written when Bates was only 19 living in

Rushden Rushden is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England, around east of Northampton. The parish is on the border with Bedfordshire, north of Bedford. The parish of Rushden covers an area of some ...

and working as a warehouse clerk. It was rejected by nine publishers before being accepted by

Jonathan Cape Jonathan Cape is a London publishing firm founded in 1921 by Herbert Jonathan Cape, who was head of the firm until his death in 1960. Cape and his business partner Wren Howard set up the publishing house in 1921. They established a reputation ...

at the recommendation of

Edward Garnett Edward William Garnett (5 January 1868 – 19 February 1937) was an English writer, critic and literary editor, who was instrumental in the publication of D. H. Lawrence's ''Sons and Lovers''. Early life and family Edward Garnett was born i ...

, who also wrote an introduction to the novelSevern House edition of the Novel, published in 1992

Plot introduction

Jenny and her younger sister Tessie live in an isolated farmhouse with their recently widowed and tyrannical father Jacob and their two brothers Jim and Luke. Tessie seeks escape in the local dancehall. Jenny stays at home. Then an unexpected visitor Michael Winter breaks into their quiet lives; both sisters falling in love with him.

References

External links

*
H. E. Bates official site
1926 British novels English novels Novels by H. E. Bates Novels set in Bedfordshire Jonathan Cape books 1926 debut novels British romance novels {{1920s-romance-novel-stub